How Reliable Are Mazdas? Here's What Consumer Reports Says

With the cost of living on the rise, it's never been more important to limit your risk of car trouble by purchasing a reliable vehicle that gives you peace of mind. Fortunately, today's market is filled with automakers that are known to produce dependable models that encounter a relatively low number of problems. Unsurprisingly, Mazda is one of these manufacturers. A Consumer Reports (CR) survey of car brands that make the most reliable new models named Mazda the sixth most reliable new car brand overall, placing it behind fellow Japanese carmakers Subaru, Lexus, Toyota, Honda, and Acura.

The CR survey quizzed subscribers with cars made between 2022 and 2025 about problems their vehicle had encountered in the last year. The study sourced data from more than 300,000 vehicles and considered 20 trouble areas, including problems related to brakes, engine, transmission, EV batteries, and interior trim, with each car rated out of 100 based on each problem's severity in order to give readers an idea of the car's reliability.

The Mazda vehicles CR considered include the MX-5 Miata, CX-5, CX-50, CX-30, Mazda 3, CX-90 Plug-in Hybrid, and the standard CX-90, which has long since established itself as a crossover SUV that can hold its own. It's unclear how each of these models performed in the CR survey, but iSeeCars data has the MX-5 Miata on top as the most reliable Mazda model, followed by the Mazda CX-5 and Mazda 3. The CX-50, CX-30, CX-90, and CX-90 Plug-in Hybrid have yet to be ranked for reliability.

Mazdas aren't just reliable when they're new. A separate Consumer Reports survey ranked it among the brands that make the best used cars, with the Hiroshima Prefecture-based auto manufacturer taking third place. The study, which included over 150,000 cars made between 2015 and 2020, surveyed the Mazda 3, 6, CX-3, CX-5, CX-9, CX-30, and MX-5 Miata. As always, some of these models will be more reliable than others, and each vehicle's score may differ depending on the model year.

Let's look at the Mazda CX-5. It earned 80 out of 100 possible points from J.D. Power in 2015 but dropped the following year, with the 2016 model securing an average rating of 74 out of 100. As far as J.D. Power reliability ratings, 2020 is the best model year for the CX-5 models sold between 2015 and 2020, with the compact SUV earning 85 out of 100 points. As a matter of fact, 2020 was a good year for Mazda overall, as it topped Consumer Reports' ranking of the most reliable car brands for 2020, toppling Toyota and its subsidiary, Lexus.

But high marks alone don't guarantee reliability — they only indicate how dependable a vehicle is likely to be. Some cars can still suffer a number of faults and require frequent repairs. So, it's always a good idea to conduct further research by checking forums and sites that aggregate consumer complaints to understand common problems associated with the specific Mazda model you're considering.

Mazdas aren't often the first choice for many buyers compared to, say, Honda or Toyota. But the brand's focus on combining classy interiors, stylish designs, and driving enjoyment appeals to a niche market. The MX-5 Miata, for example, is known for being thrilling to drive and is often among the most revered of cars where driving experience is concerned. But it's not just the Miata — Mazda generally prioritizes the driving experience, and this ability to consistently combine driving dynamics with quality and comfort often make its cars look like a better value for your money than some of the brand's popular rivals.

Yet another positive for Mazda cars is that they also have consistently low running costs — in fact, they're among the cheapest cars to keep on the road. Back in November 2024, the mechanics at Royalty Auto Service confirmed what we already know by crowning Mazda cars the least expensive vehicles to repair, at an average cost of $457.46, with data based on the repair shop's hands-on experience working on various makes and models for two years. Royalty Auto Service's costs average similarly to those of RepairPal, which estimates an annual average repair cost of $462 for all Mazda models — some $190 less than the average car.