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2021 Mazda CX-5

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
A
Safety Signal
100 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 0
Complaints10 crash · 8 injured reported 148
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 28 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the CX-5 2WD, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 148 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Mazda CX-5 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Mazda CX-5 · Photo: Alexander Migl · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
CX-5 2WDGasFWD2.5L 4-cyl253128$2,400
CX-5 4WDGas4WD2.5L 4-cyl243026$2,600
CX-5 2WDGasFWD2.5L 4-cyl turbo232825$2,700
CX-5 4WDGas4WD2.5L 4-cyl turbo222724$2,800

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 43125, 43133, 43126, 43134.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
CX-5 2WD, CX-5 4WD7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
CX-5 2WD, CX-5 4WD5 / 10California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
GVWR classClass 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2.5 L
Engine configurationIn-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower187 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain4x2
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds6

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, Rear cross-traffic alert

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, Signature, Touring). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length179.1 in
Width (body, without mirrors)72.4 in
Height66.1 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Track, front63.0 in
Track, rear63.0 in
Curb weight3,437–3,594 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear57/43 to 59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: AWD 4-door SUV, FWD 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Factory warranty running out?

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (0)

Source: NHTSA recall database

No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Mazda CX-5. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Mazda CX-5, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2021 Mazda CX-5

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this CX-5 →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
148complaints filed

10 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 8 injuries · 0 deaths reported

7.8 per 10,000 built · Mazda reported 190,392 CX-5 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2021: 15 · 2022: 46 · 2023: 26 · 2024: 22 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 22

Most-cited components

Unspecified 17
Power Train 17
Forward Collision Avoidance 16
Electrical System 12
Service Brakes 11

In depth: engine problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Excessive oil consumption. After 3,000 miles driving, need to add a quart of oil as ‘oil low’ light comes on. Vehicle is 1 year old, and this happened at 3,700 miles on the odometer. Has happened after every oil change at around 3,700-4,200 miles driven
Engine Aug 1, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11476871
While beginning to turn into an interstate exit lane, all dashboard lights lit up, the engine died, and the car stopped. Power brakes & steering were inactivated. My husband was able to coast the car to the shoulder. My Mazda app said nothing wrong with car. Waited 3 hours for tow as we were out of state.
Electrical System Jul 24, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11475541
On April 16, 2022, around 6:45PM, I drove my new Mazda CX5 (@ 3500 miles) into our church parking lot and turned right down the first row of cars. It was light out and the weather was pleasant. I turned right into a parking space with my foot on the brake. The car was facing and perpendicular to a sidewalk that was about 10 feet away.
Service Brakes Apr 27, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11462431
BSM Does not see all vehicles in the blind spot. It is very inconsistent. I have taken it to the dealer who told me that they could not repair it because no fault code shows up. Mazda has not been helpful
Lane Departure Feb 24, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11453753
The windshield defrost only works for the center part of the windshield given that there is only a single center defrost vent. Vision is severely impaired during rainy or snowy days (worse during nights) while driving and it makes the driving very dangerous.
Visibility/Wiper Jan 20, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11448193
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX5. The contact stated that the fuel gauge was not operating properly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer reprogrammed the Transmission Control Unit (TCU). However, the failure recurred.
Fuel/Propulsion System at 1,629 miles Nov 5, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11439487

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Mazda itself: 20 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 21 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 11 per 100,000 built. Every CX-5 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 34k

miles, typically

Half the 18 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 3,000 and 64,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 18 on file: 7 under 10k, 1 10k–20k, 2 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k, 2 50k–60k, 1 60k–70k, 1 80k–90k, 1 90k–100k, 2 100k–150k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆17%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 2 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Mazda warranty extension (9) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 501
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-17
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 460 service bulletins, 29 warranty extensions, 12 others

Most often about: Electrical System, Engine, Equipment, Unknown Or Other, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.

  • SA-042-26a Service bulletin
    2026-09-17 · Unknown Or Other
  • Mazda Connected Services - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SAs listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-042/26 06/30/26 DESCRIPTION Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Index General Questions MAZDA CONNECT Indication Setup and Getting Started Dealer Processes Registration / Enrollment / Take-Over Customer Subscription Status WI-FI Gene
  • SA-041-26a Service bulletin
    2026-09-11 · Electrical System
  • DESCRIPTION If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. Example
  • SA-038-26b Service bulletin
    2026-09-10 · Electrical System
  • This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued service alert listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-038/26 08/18/26 and 06/15/26 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about any of the following: 1. Infotainment Center Display does not provide the Authorization Code (OTP) during the MyMazda App
  • SA-038-26a Service bulletin
    2026-09-04 · Engine
  • This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued service alert listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-038/26 06/15/26 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about any of the following: 1. Infotainment Center Display does not provide the Authorization Code (OTP) during the MyMazda App Connected Vehicle enrollment. 2. Remote functions inoperative. Engine Start / Stop Door Lock / U
  • SA-054-26 Service bulletin
    2026-08-20 · Unknown Or Other
  • This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued Service Alerts listed below: The changes are noted in Red. Infotainment Reboot With Navigation Card Installed This Service Information is no longer valid. Refer to the following updated Technical Service Bulletins: CX-5 / CX-9: 16-002/23 - UPDATED SOFTWARE RELEASE FOR CONCERNS WITH MAZDA CONNECT INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM (7TH GEN TYPE) Mazda3 / CX-30
  • SA-039-26a Service bulletin
    2026-08-19 · Electrical System
  • This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-039/26 06/15/26 Mazda Connect Symptom Troubleshooting DESCRIPTION Customers having MAZDA CONNECT concerns should have their vehicle repaired using the following repair procedure.
  • SA-053-26 Service bulletin
    2026-08-19 · Electrical System
  • This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-006/23 01/23/23 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about the infotainment system and/or the MyMazda App showing incorrect clock and/or tire pressures and/or tire pressure missing. This may be caused by: Incorrect calendar entry (month/day/year) after a battery disconnect Infot
  • SA-052-26 Service bulletin
    2026-08-18 · Unknown Or Other
  • DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about SiriusXM Travel Link, Traffic Plus showing expired even though the customer purchased a paid subscription. SiriusXM audio packages do not include SiriusXM Travel Link, Traffic Plus. To get Traffic Plus, the customer must purchase the Infotainment "SiriusXM Traffic Plus with SiriusXM Travel Link (TM)" package.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0126
P0126 on Mazda →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine31 bulletins · 2 owner reports
U3000
U3000 on Mazda →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →13 bulletins
P250F
P250F on Mazda →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine7 bulletins · 2 owner reports
P2B61
P2B61 on Mazda →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine7 bulletins
P0524
P0524 on Mazda →
Engine oil pressure has been measured below the safe limit.Engine4 bulletins
P055F
P055F on Mazda →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine4 bulletins
B14F0
B14F0 on Mazda →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Lane Departure3 bulletins
C1001
C1001 on Mazda →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Lane Departure3 bulletins
B1B36Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Equipment2 bulletins
C0023Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →2 bulletins
P0780
P0780 on Mazda →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train2 bulletins
P0842
P0842 on Mazda →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Power Train2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Mazda CX-5 failed the emissions check on 0.91% of first inspections — lower than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.8% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%).

New York inspections 0.91%

failed emissions

10,342 initial inspections of 10,147 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2021 CX-5Every 2021 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check0.91%1.9%10,317
Failed the safety inspection1.8%1.5%10,342
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.12%0.19%10,342
Miles driven a year9,51310,343odometer at inspection
Average odometer50,18254,681odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Common questions about the 2021 CX-5

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Mazda CX-5 have any recalls?

No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2021 Mazda CX-5. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them, and a clean sheet on a recent model year often just means the vehicle is new.

How safe is the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

NHTSA gave the 2021 Mazda CX-5 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (100/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Mazda CX-5, the best EPA combined figure is 28 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

Transport Canada measured it at 179.1 in long, 72.4 in wide (body, without mirrors), 66.1 in tall, on a 106.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,437–3,594 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

Owners have filed 148 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Mazda CX-5, most often about engine, unspecified, power train. Of those, 10 involved a crash, 8 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Mazda CX-5 runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

The manufacturer has filed 501 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Mazda CX-5, most often covering electrical system, engine, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-09-17. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2021 Mazda CX-5 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Mazda CX-5 failed the emissions check on 0.91% of first inspections — lower than the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.8% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations4 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates4 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
RecallsnoneNHTSA recall campaignsNo campaign has been filed. Because the register is complete, an empty row here means there is nothing to find — not that we are missing it.
Owner complaints148NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins501NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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