2023 Mazda CX-5 Reliability & Problems
By Adrian V. LockhartUpdated All 63 NHTSA owner reports researched and classified
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Owner complaints
63
8 report a crash, fire, injury or death
Recalls
0
None listed by NHTSA
Complaints per year filed
2023–2025 · peak 20
In short
No pattern of serious problemsThe 2023 Mazda CX-5 shows no pattern of serious problems: its largest serious class, brake problems, makes up 10% of complaints, and there is no do-not-drive recall or open serious NHTSA investigation. NHTSA has 63 owner complaints, and 8 report a crash, fire, injury or death. This model year has no recalls.
Reliability
How Reliable Is the 2023 Mazda CX-5?
The 2023 Mazda CX-5 has no pattern of serious problems in its owner complaints. The largest serious group is brake problems, including brake failures and unexpected automatic braking, and it makes up 10% of complaints. Safety-related complaints are 14% of the total. There is no do-not-drive or park-outside recall and no open serious NHTSA investigation. That is why the page does not flag this model year as a serious concern.
No single problem stands out enough to describe as a recurring weakness. The complaints are spread thinly, and no individual problem reached the number of reports needed for a detailed breakdown. Brake complaints are the ones to take most seriously, because a brake failure or an unexpected brake application can lead to a crash. Of the owners who wrote in, 8 report a crash, fire, injury or death, and 5 of those report an injury. None report a death or a fire.
This model year has no recalls, so there is no official defect or remedy to point to for any complaint. We cannot say whether repairs fixed the problems owners describe, because there are too few reports on any one problem to judge. Mileage tells us little as well: only 2 complaints include a mileage, with a median of about 10,100 miles. Any problem on a car you are looking at could show up at any odometer reading.
If you are buying, treat brakes as the main thing to check, along with the usual service history and a recall search by VIN. Crash-test results are 5 stars overall for the AWD version, with 4 stars for rollover. The evidence has limits. Complaint counts show what owners reported, not how many vehicles are affected, and they cannot show how a particular car was maintained. This is also a recent model year with a small number of complaints, so more may be filed over time.
Top problems
No problem stands out
None of the 63 complaints cluster into a named problem with at least 15 reports.
Not enough reports to name a problem
That's usually good news: complaints are spread thinly instead of piling up on one fault.
Buying one
Should you buy a used 2023 Mazda CX-5?
What to check before you buy, based on the complaint and recall data.
Ask the seller for a full service history and check NHTSA's recall lookup with the VIN, since this model year has no recalls on record today. On a test drive, pay attention to braking, including any sudden or unexpected braking, because brake problems are the largest serious group in the complaints. Brake or crash-related complaints for this model year are few, so treat them as something to check rather than a reason to walk away.
- 1Still run the VIN. NHTSA lists no recalls for this model year, but recalls can be added later. Check at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- 2Get a pre-purchase inspection. An independent mechanic can spot leaks, stored fault codes and accident repairs that a test drive misses.
Mazda CX-5 model years
Which Mazda CX-5 years to avoid? Every model year compared
Early complaints are those filed in a model year's first 3 years. They follow how many were sold, so they don't show which years are better. Each tag is that year's verdict from our research of its owner complaints.
- 201862 early complaintsNo pattern
- 201940 early complaintsNo pattern
- 202030 early complaintsNo pattern
- 202187 early complaintsNo pattern
- 202230 early complaintsNo pattern
- 2023This year44 early complaintsNo pattern
- 202444 early complaintsToo few
- 202528 early complaintsToo few
- 202614 early complaintsToo few
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.
| SUV AWD | |
|---|---|
| Overall | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★ |
| Rollover risk | 17% |
Owning one
If you already own one
Find your symptom, see when problems tend to show up, and check which recalls apply.
Watch for brakes that feel different, fail to respond, or apply on their own. If that happens, stop driving and have the car inspected. Report any safety problem to a dealer and to NHTSA so it is on record. Check the VIN for recalls from time to time, as none exist for this model year today.
Too few reports for a symptom finder
No symptom reached 10 reports. If something is wrong with yours, report it at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.
Recalls
No recalls
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2023 Mazda CX-5.
Reliability history
Mazda CX-5 reliability by year
Complaints filed in each model year's first 3 years, by trouble spot. Darker cells have more complaints; counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold each year.
| Trouble spot | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission & drivetrain | 2018 Transmission & drivetrain: 10 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Transmission & drivetrain: 4 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Transmission & drivetrain: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Transmission & drivetrain: 11 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Transmission & drivetrain: 3 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Transmission & drivetrain: 3 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Transmission & drivetrain: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Transmission & drivetrain: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Transmission & drivetrain: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Engine | 2018 Engine: 16 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Engine: 10 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Engine: 6 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Engine: 54 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Engine: 9 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Engine: 9 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Engine: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Engine: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Engine: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Fuel system & stalling | 2018 Fuel system & stalling: 3 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Fuel system & stalling: 3 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Fuel system & stalling: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Fuel system & stalling: 6 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Fuel system & stalling: 3 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Fuel system & stalling: 1 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Fuel system & stalling: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Fuel system & stalling: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Fuel system & stalling: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Electrical | 2018 Electrical: 3 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Electrical: 11 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Electrical: 8 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Electrical: 7 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Electrical: 4 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Electrical: 7 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Electrical: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Electrical: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Electrical: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Driver aids & stability | 2018 Driver aids & stability: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Driver aids & stability: 4 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Driver aids & stability: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Driver aids & stability: 6 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Driver aids & stability: 4 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Driver aids & stability: 6 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Driver aids & stability: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Driver aids & stability: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Driver aids & stability: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Brakes | 2018 Brakes: 19 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Brakes: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Brakes: 7 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Brakes: 7 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Brakes: 3 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Brakes: 6 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Brakes: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Brakes: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Brakes: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Steering | 2018 Steering: 1 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Steering: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Steering: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Steering: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Steering: 1 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Steering: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Steering: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Steering: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Steering: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Suspension | 2018 Suspension: 1 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Suspension: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Suspension: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Suspension: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Suspension: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Suspension: 1 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Suspension: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Suspension: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Suspension: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Airbags & seat belts | 2018 Airbags & seat belts: 5 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Airbags & seat belts: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Airbags & seat belts: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Airbags & seat belts: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Airbags & seat belts: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Airbags & seat belts: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Airbags & seat belts: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Airbags & seat belts: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Airbags & seat belts: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Body, lights & visibility | 2018 Body, lights & visibility: 17 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Body, lights & visibility: 9 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Body, lights & visibility: 7 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Body, lights & visibility: 6 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Body, lights & visibility: 7 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Body, lights & visibility: 12 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Body, lights & visibility: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Body, lights & visibility: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Body, lights & visibility: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Acceleration & speed control | 2018 Acceleration & speed control: 7 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Acceleration & speed control: 6 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Acceleration & speed control: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Acceleration & speed control: 5 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Acceleration & speed control: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Acceleration & speed control: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Acceleration & speed control: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Acceleration & speed control: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Acceleration & speed control: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
| Wheels & tires | 2018 Wheels & tires: 1 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2019 Wheels & tires: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2020 Wheels & tires: 2 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2021 Wheels & tires: 0 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2022 Wheels & tires: 1 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2023 Wheels & tires: 1 complaints in the first 3 years. | 2024 Wheels & tires: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2025 Wheels & tires: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. | 2026 Wheels & tires: too new, fewer than 3 complete years. |
All problems
Every problem reported on the 2023 CX-5
Every problem found in the 63 owner complaints, by area of the vehicle.
Body, lights & visibility
21 33%- Headlight cooling fan noiseMinor9 14%–––
- Sunroof glass shattersSerious4 6%–––
- Side mirror vibration2 3%–––
- Passenger occupant sensor triggered by light objects2 3%–––
- Key fob buttons activate liftgate, locks or horn by accident1 2%–––
- Windshield cracks1 2%–––
Show 2 more body, lights & visibility problemsShow fewer body, lights & visibility problems
- Power liftgate failure1 2%–––
- Tail lights off while daytime running lights look like headlights1 2%–––
Engine
10 16%- Excessive oil consumption2 3%–––
- Stalling or shutting off while drivingCritical2 3%–––
- Engine fails to warm up in cold weather1 2%–––
- Engine failure1 2%–––
- Coolant leak1 2%–––
- Leaking serpentine belt hydraulic tensioner1 2%–––
Show 4 more engine problemsShow fewer engine problems
- Oil leaks or low oilSerious1 2%–––
- Low oil pressure code with check engine light1 2%–––
- Stalling right after refuelingCritical1 2%–––
- Gasoline smell in cabin1 2%–––
Acceleration & speed control
9 14%- Sudden or unintended accelerationCritical9 14%–––
Brakes
8 13%- Brake pedal sinks or brakes failCritical5 8%–––
- Brake noise and early wearMinor3 5%–––
- Rocking or shake going from brake to gas at low speed1 2%–––
Driver aids & stability
6 10%- Automatic emergency braking activates for no reasonCritical2 3%–––
- Blind spot sensors blocked error1 2%–––
- Forward camera and blind spot sensors malfunction1 2%–––
- Smart Brake System and radar sensor malfunction warnings1 2%–––
- Lane keep assist does not work1 2%–––
Other
5 8%- Rear glass shatters1 2%–––
- Clicking or snapping noise from dashboard1 2%–––
- Cooling fan runs constantly in cold weather1 2%–––
- A/C stops cooling and blows hot air1 2%–––
- Cracked cylinder head1 2%–––
Electrical
4 6%- Many warning lights at onceMinor2 3%–––
- Battery drain or no-startSerious2 3%–––
Airbags & seat belts
3 5%- Airbags did not deploy in a crashCritical2 3%–––
- Seatbelt will not latch or release1 2%–––
Wheels & tires
2 3%- Tires cup prematurely and cause steering vibration2 3%–––
- Steering wheel and seat vibration at highway speed1 2%–––
Steering
2 3%- Loss of power steeringCritical1 2%–––
- Sticky or notchy steeringSerious1 2%–––
Transmission & drivetrain
1 2%- A/C compressor clutch will not engage1 2%–––
41 problems found in all 63 complaints. One complaint can describe more than one problem, so counts add up to more than the total. Not counted as a defect: 1 describing no vehicle defect. Typical miles, repair cost and fix rate show only when enough owners report them.
The data
Behind the numbers
Every figure comes from NHTSA's complaint file and APIs.
- Complaints
- 63
- Recalls
- 0
- Crashes
- 8
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 5
- Deaths
- 0
Crashes and fires count complaints that report one; injuries and deaths count people.
Mileage at failure
Not enough data yet
Only 2 complaints list mileage; we chart this from 30.
FAQ
2023 Mazda CX-5 questions
Is the 2023 Mazda CX-5 reliable?
The 2023 Mazda CX-5 shows no pattern of serious problems in its owner complaints. The largest serious group is brake problems, at 10% of complaints, and safety-related complaints are 14% of the total. There is no do-not-drive or park-outside recall and no open serious NHTSA investigation.
What are the most common 2023 Mazda CX-5 problems?
The most reported area is body, lights and visibility, with 21 of the 63 owner complaints (33%), mainly headlight cooling fan noise and sunroof glass that shatters. Engine follows with 10 complaints, then acceleration and speed control with 9 complaints about sudden or unintended acceleration, and brakes with 8.
Does the 2023 Mazda CX-5 have any recalls?
This model year has no recalls, so there is no do-not-drive or park-outside warning either. Owners have still filed complaints, so a car's history is worth checking. Enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm that no recall has been issued for the specific vehicle you are looking at.
Does the 2023 Mazda CX-5 have brake problems?
Brake problems are the largest serious group in the owner complaints, though they are few. Of 8 brake complaints, 5 describe a brake pedal that sinks or brakes that fail and 3 describe brake noise and early wear. Separately, 2 complaints say automatic emergency braking activated for no reason.
What should I check before buying a used 2023 Mazda CX-5?
Ask the seller for a full service history and search the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. On a test drive, pay attention to braking, including any sudden or unexpected braking, since brakes are the largest serious group in the complaints. Treat this as something to check rather than a reason to walk away.
Is the 2023 Mazda CX-5 safe?
NHTSA rates the AWD version 5 out of 5 stars overall, 5 out of 5 stars frontal, 5 out of 5 stars side and 4 out of 5 stars for rollover. Among the 63 owner complaints, 8 report a crash, fire, injury or death: 5 report an injury, and none report a death or a fire.
Which Mazda CX-5 years should you avoid?
No Mazda CX-5 model year shows serious known problems in owner complaints. The 2013–2014 and 2016 are worth checking carefully: complaints show some known problems. The 2015 and 2017–2023 show no pattern of serious problems. The 2024–2026 have too few complaints to judge. Every model year is compared on the Mazda CX-5 years-to-avoid page.
Methodology
How we researched this
- Complaints. NHTSA's owner complaint file, counted as unique complaint numbers for make MAZDA, model CX-5, model year 2023. Data through Oct 4, 2026.
- Verdict. Judged from this model year's own complaints, not against other models, using shares rather than counts. Serious known problems: one serious problem (transmission, engine or stalling, steering, brakes, airbags, fire, fuel leaks) is in a quarter or more of complaints; or a smaller but clear cluster comes with an unusual share of crash, fire, injury or loss-of-power reports or early failures; or an urgent recall or NHTSA investigation matches a top complaint. Some known problems: one of those signals on its own. No pattern of serious problems: none of them; this doesn't mean the vehicle is trouble-free. Too few complaints to judge: under 50 complaints. Why this verdict: Checked: the largest serious problem class is brake problems (brake failures, phantom automatic braking), 10% of complaints; safety-related complaints are 14% (typical: 17%), and there's no do-not-drive or park-outside recall or open serious NHTSA investigation..
- No grade or class ranking. Raw complaint counts favor models that sell fewer cars, so we don't score or rank this vehicle against other models until we can adjust for sales.
- Trouble spots and history. Complaints grouped by the part owners chose when filing. The history grid counts complaints filed in each model year's first 3 years so older and newer years compare fairly; years with fewer than 3 complete years are marked too new.
- Named problems. Every one of the 63 complaints was researched and classified by its problems, severity, symptoms, repairs and any cost the owner mentions; the counts, costs and fix rates on this page are tallies of those classifications. Quotes are verbatim excerpts, checked against the original text. Engines are decoded from partial VINs with NHTSA's vPIC service.
- Repair costs and fix rates. Shown only when at least 10 owners report a repair cost, or at least 10 complaints describe whether a repair worked.
- Not adjusted for sales. Not affiliated with NHTSA. Page updated Oct 12, 2026.