Are Mazda cars reliable? Most and least reliable models revealed
In our annual Reliability Survey, we ask readers to rate the dependability of cars aged up to five years old. Here we list the most and least reliable models in the Mazda line-up...
Japanese brand, Mazda, is renowned for being innovative. Past highlights include the rotary-engined RX8 sports car, and in recent years it's pursued a strategy of efficient petrol engines that, unlike many rivals, aren't turbocharged.
In general, Mazda has a good reputation for reliability, with owners reporting that only around a quarter of their cars had any issues in the previous two years. It's also pretty good at covering the cost of fixing those faults: 83% of remedial work was done for free.
Mazda was 16th out of 31 most reliable car brands in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey with a score of 91.1%, which puts it in the middle of the chart for dependability. Its score and place relative to other brands has slipped a little in the past couple of years: it was 13th out of 32, with a score of 92.8%, in 2023.
Here we're looking at reliability data for Mazda models aged up to five years old. Where models are available in more than one body style, such as hatchback and estate, our data covers all versions. Reliability information for older models is in our most reliable used cars feature.
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Most reliable Mazda models
1. Mazda 2 (2015-present)
Reliability rating 96.8%
- Most common faults: 12-volt battery 7%, non-engine electrics 7%
- Average repair cost: 50% £0, 50% £101-£200
- Typical time off road: 100% less than a day
The Mazda 2 is a small petrol-engined hatchback that rivals the Hyundai i20, Skoda Fabia and VW Polo. As a used option, it's up against the former best-selling Ford Fiesta. It has a reasonably plush interior, economical mild-hybrid engines and even the entry-level model is very well equipped, too. However, it's not as much fun to drive as a Fiesta and not as refined as some other rivals.
One big thing in its favour is its strong reliability record. Owners told us that only 14% of their Mazda 2s went wrong, and all faulty cars remained driveable — indicating that the issues weren't too serious — and all of them were fixed in a day or less. Best of all, Mazda paid for all repair work.
Mazda 2 review
2. Mazda CX-5 petrol (2017-present)
Reliability rating 96.1%
- Most common faults: Sat-nav/infotainment 10%, bodywork 7%, non-engine electrics 3%
- Average repair cost: 87% £0, 13% £50-£100
- Typical time off road: 67% one day or less, 13% more than a week
The CX-5 is good to drive, and while it doesn’t have a premium-brand badge on its nose, its interior feels more upmarket than many rivals at the value end of the family SUV class. It's also practical and well-priced.
However, if you're considering a CX-5, you may be best off with a petrol version rather than a diesel. That's because only 17% of the petrol versions we were told about suffered a fault compared with 48% of diesels. The sat-nav/infotainment system was the main concern for petrol CX-5 owners, followed by glitches with the bodywork. Most remedial work was done for free, and two-thirds of affected cars were back on the road in a day or less, though.
Mazda CX-5 review
3. Mazda CX-30 (2020-present)
Reliability rating 93.4%
- Most common faults: 12-volt battery 13%, air-con 4%, engine electrics 2%, non-engine electrics 2%, sat-nav/infotainment system 2%
- Average repair cost: 91% £0, 5% £1000-£1500
- Typical time off road: 46% one day or less, 40% more than a week
The CX-30 is an appealing small SUV based on the same platform underpinnings as the Mazda 3 hatchback. It has a high-end interior, generous equipment levels and efficient engines, but it doesn't ride as well as the Volkswagen T-Roc and isn't as much fun to drive as the Ford Puma.
It is a pretty dependable option, though. Only 17% of the cars we were told about had any problems, and most were fixed for free by Mazda and its dealers. The most common complaint centred on the 12-volt battery, but more than two-thirds of faulty cars could still be driven. The only downside is that almost half of them took more than a week to put right.
Mazda CX-30 review
4. Mazda 6 (2013-2022)
Reliability rating 92.4%
- Most common faults: Bodywork 12%, air-con 6%, brakes, engine electrics 6%, non-engine electrics 6%
- Average repair cost: 83% £0, 17 £501-£750
- Typical time off road: 67% one day or less, 17% more than a week
The Mazda 6 is a very good all-rounder with plenty of space and lots of equipment, making it an appealing used executive option. Its diesel engine is quiet and smooth, and it offers impressive fuel economy. It also has an excellent infotainment system that has large, bright icons and is quick to respond.
It's not all good news, though, because the Mazda 6's fault rate of 35% is on the high side. That said, minor bodywork issues were the most common complaint, and overall, two-thirds of problems were resolved in a day or less. Although Mazda covered the cost of 83% of repairs, some owners had to find up to £750 to get their cars fixed.
Used Mazda 6 review
5. Mazda MX-5 (2017-present)
Reliability rating 91.5%
- Most common faults: Non-engine electrics 9%, 12-volt battery 6%, engine electrics 3%, suspension 3%
- Average repair cost: 29% £0, 14% £501-£750
- Typical time off road: 43% one day or less, 56% one day to a week
The MX-5 is a modern motoring icon, and has been for more than 30 years, forging a reputation for its ability to provide motoring fun at an affordable price. Although it's not as expensive as more premium sports cars, it has free-revving engines, a sweet gearbox and nimble handling.
The MX-5 is only a mid-league player when it comes to reliability, though. Owners told us 21% of their cars had gone wrong with a range of faults, including electrical issues and problems with the 12-volt battery. While repairs were reasonably swift — all cars were fixed in less than a week — they weren't all done for free. Only 29% of cars cost nothing to fix, and some racked up bills of up to £750.
Reliability rating 88.5%
- Most common faults: Exhaust 11%, non-engine electrics 11%, bodywork 7%, brakes 7%, engine 7%, interior trim 7%
- Average repair cost: 71% £0, 7% £501-£750
- Typical time off road: 71% one day or less, 14% more than a week
In some respects, the diesel version of the CX-5 is a better bet than the petrols, particularly if you're looking for a strong vehicle for occasional towing. Its 182bhp 2.2-litre Skyactiv-D pulls harder than the petrols from around 1500rpm and it revs out freely all the way to the red line.
However, with a fault rate of 48%, you could be spending more time than you'd like getting your car fixed. The exhaust system and various electrical components were the most common bugbears, but there were also issues reported with the bodywork, brakes and engine. The good news is that nearly three-quarters of problems were put right for free and in a day or less.
Mazda CX-5 review
Least reliable Mazda models
1. Mazda CX-60 (2022-present)
Reliability rating 68.8%
- Most common faults Suspension 33%, steering 24%, non-engine electrics 19%, 12-volt battery 14%, bodywork 14%, fuel system 14%
- Average repair cost: 100% £0
- Typical time off road: 34% less than a day, 43% more than a week
The CX-60 is a five-seater large SUV that's plush and roomy inside. It's the first Mazda model to be offered as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), making it a rival to the PHEV Toyota RAV4, as well as more expensive models, including PHEV versions of the Audi Q5, the BMW X3 and the Lexus NX.
It's also unusual among Mazda models because it has a very high fault rate: 62% of the cars reported on in our survey went wrong, with the suspension, steering and electrics all giving cause for concern. Although all issues were sorted out at no cost to owners, nearly half of the affected cars were out of action for more than a week.
Mazda CX-60 review
2. Mazda 3 (2019-present)
Reliability rating 85.4%
- Most common faults Non-engine electrics 11%, 12-volt battery 8%, bodywork 8%, engine 8%, engine electrics 8%
- Average repair cost: 65% £0, 18% £501-£750
- Typical time off road: 30% one day or less, 48% more than a week
The Mazda 3 has standout looks and comes with a choice of two two large naturally aspirated – but mild-hybrid – petrol engines, instead of the small turbocharged units found in rivals such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. It's very well equipped, the infotainment system is great and, the interior quality is top-notch.
With a fault rate of 33%, though, it's not the last word in dependability. Electrical issues were the main headache for owners, and faults kept nearly half of cars off the road for more than a week. Although Mazda covered the cost of nearly two-thirds of repairs, some owners faced bills of up to £750 per fault.
Mazda 3 review
Reliability of Mazda models aged up to five years old
| Rank | Make and model | Score |
| 1 | Mazda 2 (2015-present) | 96.8% |
| 2 | Mazda CX-5 petrol (2017-present) | 96.1% |
| 3 | Mazda CX-30 (2020-present) | 93.4% |
| 4 | 2013-2022 Mazda 6 | 92.4% |
| 5 | Mazda MX-5 (2015-present) | 91.5% |
| 6 | Mazda CX-5 diesel (2017-present) | 88.5% |
| 7 | Mazda 3 (2019-present) | 85.4% |
| 8 | Mazda CX-60 (2022-present) | 68.8% |
To read the reliability data for other car classes follow these links:
Most and least reliable cars overall
Most reliable car brands
Most reliable family cars
Most reliable executive cars
Most reliable luxury cars
Most reliable small SUVs
Most reliable family SUVs
Most reliable large SUVs
Most reliable seven-seaters
Most reliable electric cars
Most reliable electric SUVs
Most reliable sports cars
Most reliable diesel cars
Most reliable petrol cars
Most reliable hybrid cars
How the research was carried out
To compile the What Car? Reliability Survey, conducted in association with MotorEasy, we asked thousands of car owners to give us the lowdown on how reliable their car had been over the previous 24 months.
First we asked them to tell us if the car had suffered a fault, and, if so, how much each problem had cost to put right and how long it had kept the car off the road. The responses for these two factors were weighted and added up for each make and model, enabling us to create a unique reliability rating for each.
The latest What Car? Reliability Survey contains responses from 29,967 people, giving us enough data to report on 199 models aged up to five years old from 31 different car brands.
About the report author
Claire Evans has been a motoring journalist for more than 30 years, working on consumer issues for a great deal of that time. After a stint as the advice columnist for Carweek magazine in the 1990s, she also spent six years working on motoring content for Which?. It is here she oversaw the running of the charity's annual used car reliability survey.
Claire launched the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2017, and since then has helped thousands of buyers choose the most reliable new cars and SUVs, as well as the most dependable used cars.
