Mazda CX-5 problems
136 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
- No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record
- Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while stopped at a stop sign, the vehicle failed to accelerate while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact restarted the vehicle and corrected the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer…
Engine is either burning or leaking oil. The low oil light flashed after a 2hr highway trip (traveling to my parent's house for Christmas with my wife), low oil was confirmed the following day via dipstick. Oil was changed at the dealership about 4 months ago, mileage is under…
Bought the car brand new in May 2021, did a first oil change at around 4K miles due to the fact the car uses conventional 5w-30 oil and not synthetic oil. At around 7k miles the low oil engine light came on. Checked the dipstick and it was low. Added a quart of oil to hold me…
When I reached 7000 miles on my car the low oil light came one. I immediately drove it to the dealership - ending a vacation early as I thought something was seriously wrong with the car. I got to dealership and they blamed me for getting an oil change at a competitor and…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 136 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 Mazda CX-5 is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2021 Mazda CX-5?
On the NHTSA data, the 2021 Mazda CX-5 does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2021 Mazda CX-5?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 62 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 45,728 miles. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 45,728 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Mazda CX-5 has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2021 Mazda CX-5?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 136 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.