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Mazda: reliability & common problems

#13 of 24
Longevity rank#1 Tesla holds up to ~187k
~116k
Trouble-free mileageacross all body styles
199
Mazdas inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections
64/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/100



Based on 199 used Mazdas we inspected, they tend to be in slightly better shape than average — average condition 64/100 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
65%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
34%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
33%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
15%
Worn suspension joints · Suspension
15%

Share of inspected Mazdas where each item was flagged.

How they score

Excellent 29% Good 33% Mediocre 22% Poor 16%
Hidden history

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

76%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 Honda · Mazda vs Ford

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 ~116k miles. It ranks Mazda #13 of 24 brands we have enough data to rate; the longest-lasting, Tesla, holds up to ~187k. 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: 93% in good shape (14 cars) 20–40k mi: 80% in good shape (20 cars) 40–60k mi: 85% in good shape (34 cars) 60–80k mi: 69% in good shape (26 cars) 80–100k mi: 50% in good shape (34 cars) 100–120k mi: 44% in good shape (27 cars) 120–140k mi: 35% in good shape (20 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: 90% in good shape (10 cars) 3 years old: 94% in good shape (16 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: 48% in good shape (25 cars) 10 years old: 50% in good shape (14 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: 29% in good shape (7 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?
▬ Consistent across generations 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 64% in good shape (age-adjusted; 23 cars, raw 61%) 64 2015–17: 57% in good shape (age-adjusted; 38 cars, raw 50%) 57 2018+: 67% in good shape (age-adjusted; 35 cars, raw 74%) 67 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 64 cars · 81% good 3 55 cars · 61% good 6 23 cars · profile soon CX-9 11 cars · profile soon

Recently inspected:

2016 Mazda 3 · 115k mi — flagged: anti-lock brake system, sway bars, worn suspension joints. Inspected Aug 25.
2017 Mazda 3 · 127k mi — flagged: belts, oil leaks, fault codes recently cleared. Inspected Aug 24.
The bottom line

The story here is the engine, not the body. Oil leaks hit 65 percent of these cars and fuel-trim issues pile on, so start every walkaround under the engine, not at the paint. Prefer a 2018 or newer example, or even a tidy 2012–14; the 2015–17 cars are the ones that age worse. Plan on condition fading once you get near 116,000 miles. A wet engine plus live codes, or any structural repair, is your walk-away or hard-negotiate moment—tires and worn joints are cheaper to fix after you know the motor is honest.

FAQ
?
Is Mazda reliable?
62% of the 199 Mazdas we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, averaging 64/100 — they tend to be in slightly better shape than average.
?
What are the most common problems with a used Mazda?
Across the Mazdas we inspected, the items we flag most often are oil leaks (65%), tires condition & wear (34%), fuel trim out of range (33%).
?
Are newer Mazdas more reliable than older ones?
About the same — comparing generations at the same age (5–10 years old), Mazda's share of cars in good shape has stayed consistent.
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Based on 199 inspections · updated Aug 27, 2026