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Mazda: reliability & common problems

#17 of 24
Longevity rank#1 Tesla holds up to ~177k
~111k
Trouble-free mileageacross all body styles
190
Mazdas inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections
60/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/100



Based on 190 used Mazdas we inspected, they are in about average shape — average condition 60/100 vs 61 for all cars we check. Every number on this page comes from real pre-purchase inspections — cars people were about to buy and paid an independent inspector to go through point by point, engine to underbody, paint depth to error codes. Not owner surveys, not warranty statistics, not forum lore: what we actually found.

What we found

Most common faults

Oil leaks · Engine
66%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
34%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
33%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
16%
Worn suspension joints · Suspension
14%

Share of inspected Mazdas where each item was flagged.

How they score

Excellent 15% Good 36% Mediocre 41% Poor 8%
Hidden history

What the seller might not mention — how often we find it on Mazdas.

77%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 75%
6%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
25%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 23%

Compare with another brand:

Cross-shopping? Mazda vs Toyota · Mazda vs Ford · Mazda vs Honda

How long does a Mazda last?

Across every Mazda body style we've inspected — sedans, SUVs and anything else pooled together — the average one's condition dips below decent (a 55/100 score) around ~111k miles. It ranks Mazda #17 of 24 brands we have enough data to rate; the longest-lasting, Tesla, holds up to ~177k. Shopping a Mazda near that mileage? Expect more wear ahead — see which makes give the best odds at your budget.



Good cars by mileage
0 25 50 75 100 0–20k mi: 92% in good shape (13 cars) 20–40k mi: 78% in good shape (18 cars) 40–60k mi: 85% in good shape (34 cars) 60–80k mi: 67% in good shape (24 cars) 80–100k mi: 52% in good shape (33 cars) 100–120k mi: 42% in good shape (26 cars) 120–140k mi: 37% in good shape (19 cars) 140–160k mi: 27% in good shape (11 cars) 40k 80k 120k 160k 200k mileage when we inspected it
Good cars by age
0 25 50 75 100 1 years old: 88% in good shape (8 cars) 2 years old: 89% in good shape (9 cars) 3 years old: 93% in good shape (14 cars) 4 years old: 93% in good shape (15 cars) 5 years old: 77% in good shape (13 cars) 6 years old: 73% in good shape (15 cars) 7 years old: 63% in good shape (16 cars) 8 years old: 65% in good shape (17 cars) 9 years old: 50% in good shape (24 cars) 10 years old: 42% in good shape (12 cars) 11 years old: 33% in good shape (9 cars) 12 years old: 50% in good shape (10 cars) 13 years old: 60% in good shape (5 cars) 14 years old: 17% in good shape (6 cars) 2y 4y 6y 8y 10y 12y 14y 16y vehicle age when we inspected it

Share of Mazdas in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). The dashed grey curve is all cars we check.

Is Mazda getting better?
▼ Newer Mazdas aren't holding up as well 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 56% in good shape (age-adjusted; 23 cars, raw 52%) 56 2015–17: 55% in good shape (age-adjusted; 35 cars, raw 49%) 55 2018+: 49% in good shape (age-adjusted; 35 cars, raw 57%) 49 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+

Share of Mazdas in good shape (60+/100) when inspected at the same age — 5–10 years old, age-adjusted — by model-year generation; the dashed line is the all-brand average. Compare every brand's trajectory →



Mazda models we've inspected
CX-5 62 cars · 69% good 3 51 cars · 47% good 6 23 cars · profile soon CX-9 11 cars · profile soon

Recently inspected:

2012 Mazda 3 · 135k mi — flagged: oil leaks, battery condition, fault codes recently cleared. Inspected Aug 1.
2020 Mazda CX-5 · 36k mi — flagged: worn brake rotors. Inspected Jul 30.
The bottom line

Mazda buyers should zero in on the engine bay first because oil leaks show up on most of these cars and fuel-trim problems aren't far behind. That pattern plus a longevity curve that starts fading around 111,000 miles means you want a thorough pre-purchase look at seals, gaskets and the whole oil system, then negotiate hard if anything's wet. Age-adjusted, the 2012–17 cars hold up a bit better than the 2018-and-newer ones, so those earlier generations look like the smarter window if the rest of the car checks out. Walk away from anything with active codes or obvious suspension wear unless the price reflects the work ahead.

FAQ
?
Is Mazda reliable?
51% of the 190 Mazdas we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, averaging 60/100 — they are in about average shape.
?
What are the most common problems with a used Mazda?
Across the Mazdas we inspected, the items we flag most often are oil leaks (66%), fuel trim out of range (34%), tires condition & wear (33%).
?
Are newer Mazdas more reliable than older ones?
No — comparing generations at the same age (5–10 years old), newer Mazdas actually score lower than the early-2010s ones.
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Based on 190 inspections · updated Aug 1, 2026