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2023 Mazda CX-50

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints9 crash · 3 injured reported 63

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 27 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the CX-50 4WD, is EPA-rated at 27 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 63 complaints, most often about the forward collision avoidance. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Mazda CX-50 — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Mazda CX-50 · Photo: Elise240SX · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitCompare a trim →

Trim	Powertrain	Drive	MSRP	HP	Torque	MPG comb	Seats	Cargo (2nd row)	Wheels
2.5 S	Gas	AWD	—	187 hp	186 lb-ft	27 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	17 in
2.5 S Select Package	Gas	AWD	—	187 hp	186 lb-ft	27 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	17 in
2.5 S Preferred Package	Gas	AWD	—	187 hp	186 lb-ft	27 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	17 in
2.5 S Preferred Plus Package	Gas	AWD	—	187 hp	186 lb-ft	27 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	20 in
2.5 S Premium Package	Gas	AWD	—	187 hp	186 lb-ft	27 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	20 in
2.5 S Premium Plus Package	Gas	AWD	—	187 hp	186 lb-ft	27 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	20 in
2.5 Turbo	Gas	AWD	—	227 hp	310 lb-ft	25 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	20 in
2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition	Gas	AWD	—	227 hp	310 lb-ft	25 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	18 in
2.5 Turbo Premium Package	Gas	AWD	—	227 hp	310 lb-ft	25 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	20 in
2.5 Turbo Premium Plus Package	Gas	AWD	—	227 hp	310 lb-ft	25 mpg	5	31.4 cu-ft	20 in

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
CX-50 4WD	Gas	4WD	2.5L 4-cyl	24	30	27	$2,500
CX-50 4WD	Gas	4WD	2.5L 4-cyl turbo	23	29	25	$2,700

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 45250, 45251.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
CX-50 4WD	7 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
CX-50 4WD	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 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.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

5823D

2,410 vehicles 96% reported repaired

Problem Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2022-2023 CX-30 and 2023 CX-50 vehicles. The anti-lock brake system (ABS) Hydraulic Control Unit (HCU) may be damaged, which can result in reduced braking ability. Risk Reduced braking ability can increase the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect and replace the ABS HCU, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 12, 2023. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 5823D.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V275000 reported Apr 18, 2023 Mazda North American Operations the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Trailer Hitches

5723B

560 vehicles 64% reported repaired

Problem Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2023 CX-50 vehicles equipped with a Mazda Genuine Accessory trailer hitch. The trailer hitch harness may detach and become damaged, which can result in inoperative trailer lights and/or brakes. Risk Towing a trailer with inoperative lights or brakes can increase the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will repair the trailer hitch harness, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2023. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 5723B.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V135000 reported Mar 1, 2023 Mazda North American Operations the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

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.

Whether any of this applies to one specific CX-50

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Mazda publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Mazda’s own VIN lookup →

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 2023 Mazda CX-50, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

63complaints filed

9 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 3 injuries · 0 deaths reported

13 per 10,000 built · Mazda reported 49,133 CX-50 built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2022: 6 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 15 · 2025: 14 · 2026: 15

Most-cited components

Forward Collision Avoidance 21

Service Brakes 16

Electrical System 9

Unspecified 8

Structure 6

Power Train 6

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.

The Collision Avoidance System did not activate, to avoid a front-end collision. The vehicle in front of me stopped, making a right-hand turn onto another road. I moved forward, not seeing him stop. My car rear-ended the vehicle in front of me, with no warning or activation from my system

Forward Collision Avoidance Sep 24, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11616168

I was hearing squealing, as if the brake pads were worn. Called the dealer to ask about parts, was asked to bring it in as it seems too soon for brakes. Upon inspection I was told my rear brakes are worn out at 22k highway miles, and will need rotors too.

Service Brakes Sep 22, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11615873

The contact owns a 2023 Mazda CX-50. The contact stated that while in a parking lot, the steering wheel was moving to the left and the right. The contact stated that the wheel was wobbling. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering wheel bolt was loosened.

Steering at 75,500 miles Feb 27, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11574292

Keyless Entry: I have had this vehicle for about 6 months and over that time, more than 3 separate times the keyless entry hasn't unlocked. It may take 2 - 3 tries. It has never failed to eventually unlock. I don't know that it ever failed to lock because approaching the car it would have already been unlocked.

Structure Feb 20, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11572935

Loud suspension clunks at low speeds of 5-25 mph. Dealership has found no visual representation of damage or evidence of part failure. Audibly it sounds like suspension is failing from road use from city driving. Extremely loud and rough ride over typical city streets

Suspension Nov 21, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11556341

Safety systems disables when Sunlight hits directly on the car. I own Toyota and honda, they Never had problems with sunlight. sudden loss of safety systems, caused warnings on dash, which was a distraction, especially when Sun hits directly at the car/driver. I verified the camera and sensors, there were very clean

Lane Departure Jun 24, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11528625

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: 9 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 9 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 18 per 100,000 built. Every CX-50 model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%

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

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 351

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-17

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 342 service bulletins, 9 others

Most often about: Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Equipment, Engine, Structure.

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-039-26a Service bulletin
2026-08-19 · Unknown Or Other
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 · Wheels
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-050-26 Service bulletin
2026-08-07 · Unknown Or Other
DESCRIPTION Some vehicles may continue to display the recall notification "IMPORTANT NOTICE. VIEW VEHICLE STATUS MONITOR FOR DETAILS" on the center display even after the recall has been completed. NOTE: Once the warranty claim for the recall campaign is approved by Mazda Japan, the recall notification will be automatically removed via Connected Services on the following day or later. This conditi
SA-048-26 Service bulletin
2026-08-06 · Engine
Some vehicle may exhibit the CHECK ENGINE light on with DTC P0524 (Engine oil pressure control system: Oil pressure decrease) and no abnormal engine noise. This may be caused by a malfunction of the oil pressure control valve (located at the rear of the engine block near the oil filter) due to machining contamination inside the electromagnet sleeve and the solenoid plunger remaining during manufac

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.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
U3000 U3000 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	12 bulletins
B14F0 B14F0 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	2 bulletins
C0023	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	2 bulletins
C1001 C1001 on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	2 bulletins
P061B P061B on Mazda →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	2 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.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 1.1%

failed emissions

2,041 initial inspections of 2,004 vehicles.

Measure	The 2023 CX-50	Every 2023 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	1.1%	1.6%	2,035
Failed the safety inspection	1.5%	1.1%	2,041
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.10%	0.16%	2,041
Miles driven a year	11,917	10,038	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	38,986	32,673	odometer 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 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 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).

CX-50 by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 14 38 mpg 2025 D 5 48 38 mpg 2024 A 1 35 27 mpg 2023 this page B 2 63 27 mpg

Common questions about the 2023 CX-50

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2023 Mazda CX-50 have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2023 Mazda CX-50. The most serious on file is 23V275000, covering Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2023 Mazda CX-50?

NHTSA gave the 2023 Mazda CX-50 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 B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Mazda CX-50?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2023 Mazda CX-50, the best EPA combined figure is 27 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Mazda CX-50?

Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Mazda CX-50, most often about forward collision avoidance, service brakes, electrical system. Of those, 9 involved a crash, 3 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 2023 Mazda CX-50?

The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Mazda CX-50 runs 3 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 ULEV125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Mazda CX-50?

The manufacturer has filed 351 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Mazda CX-50, most often covering electrical system, unknown or other, 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 2023 Mazda CX-50 do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Mazda CX-50 failed the emissions check on 1.1% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.5% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). 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.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	63	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	351	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No 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 NHTSA	none	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment	10 trims	Manufacturer press kit	Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

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. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

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