Mazda CX-3 reliability by year
1 recalls and 109 owner complaints across 6 model years. Best year to buy: 2017. Year to avoid: 2016.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 6 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the CX-3 aggregated across 6 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Mazda CX-3?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2017 Mazda CX-3 scores 8.6/10 — the strongest in the 2016–2021 range. 21 complaints on file, 0 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Mazda CX-3 year should I avoid?
The 2016 Mazda CX-3 scores 8.2/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 48 owner complaints with NHTSA, 0 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2016 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Mazda CX-3 should I avoid?
No Mazda CX-3 model year currently rises to an "avoid" or "high-risk" verdict on the NHTSA data — either the record is clean or sample sizes are still too thin for a confident call. The year-by-year breakdown below shows what's on file regardless.
How many years of the Mazda CX-3 are tracked?
6 model years (2016 through 2021) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 1 recalls and 109 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Mazda CX-3?
electrical is the most-reported category — 19 complaints across 2 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.