Mazda Mx-5 Years to Avoid
CarWhere's analysis of 97 federal NHTSA complaints for the Mazda Mx-5, by model year, updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
No year rated avoid
No standout best year
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2012 | 5 | 2 | 0 | N/A |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2014 | 6 | 3 | 0 | N/A |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | N/A |
| 2016 | 34 | 18 | 3 | CAUTION |
| 2017 | 11 | 4 | 2 | N/A |
| 2018 | 3 | 2 | 3 | N/A |
| 2019 | 11 | 7 | 2 | N/A |
| 2020 | 3 | 1 | 1 | N/A |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A |
| 2022 | 5 | 3 | 1 | N/A |
| 2023 | 7 | 6 | 1 | N/A |
| 2024 | 5 | 2 | 1 | N/A |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Mazda Mx-5. Full methodology.
Common Mazda Mx-5 problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Mazda Mx-5 are fuel. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Fuel system power loss and recall parts unavailability
· Mazda Mx-5 2019–2020Corroborated by 3 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 3 fuel complaints across 2019–2020, typically 37,150–65,000 miles.
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FAQ
What years of the Mazda Mx-5 should you avoid?
No Mazda Mx-5 model year rises to an "avoid" rating in the current federal data; see the year-by-year verdicts below.
What are the best years for the Mazda Mx-5?
No single Mazda Mx-5 year stands out as a clear "best" in the federal data yet; the year-by-year table shows the full spread of verdicts.
How is the Mazda Mx-5 verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Mazda Mx-5's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Mazda Mx-5 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Mazda Mx-5 reliable?
No Mazda Mx-5 model year rates "avoid" in the current federal data. Across 97 NHTSA owner complaints, the model's record is relatively even year to year — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Mazda Mx-5?
The most-reported problem area for the Mazda Mx-5 is fuel. Confirmed failures include fuel system power loss and recall parts unavailability. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Mazda Mx-5 across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Mazda Mx-5, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.