Reliability & cost of ownership
Mazda Mx-5 Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Mazda Mx-5? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Mazda Mx-5 problems by model year
16 recall entries and 174 owner complaints on file across 29 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Mazda Mx-5, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- power train34 complaints
- air bags28 complaints
- structure23 complaints
- electrical system21 complaints
- unknown or other17 complaints
- service brakes10 complaints
- steering10 complaints
- tires8 complaints