The Lemon IndexMazda5 reliability.
Is it reliable? Not really. 1.3× the average car's complaints.
Worse than average · 2006–2012
20122nd generation
What owners say on YouTube
2006–2010 Mazda5 · 185 most-watched videos
Owners praise
Owners complain about
Nothing stands out.
Fixes owners look up most
- Heat, A/C & blend door546K views
- Infotainment, battery & electrical303K views
- Starter, alternator & belts94K views
Before you buy, watch
2012–2015 Mazda5 · 120 most-watched videos
Owners praise
Owners complain about
Nothing stands out.
Fixes owners look up most
- Infotainment, battery & electrical268K views
- Windows, doors & mirrors96K views
- Spark plugs & ignition coils93K views
Before you buy, watch
Praise and complaints: the share of each generation's most-watched videos that mention a topic with a praise or trouble word next to it, in the title or what's said. YouTube rank: how positive owners and reviewers sound, compared with every car of the same model year. It measures tone, not failure rates. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.
Looking at a 2013 or newer? Those are too new for a full complaint score (any score shown is partial, in gray), but YouTube owners like the 2014 best.
Fewest complaints
2012.
Only 3 Mazda5 years have enough complaints and sales to score, too few for best and worst lists. 2012 drew a bit under half as many complaints as the average car.
Every year. Lower is better. Tap a year for its full report.
Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average or too few complaints to score. #1, #2… = that year's YouTube rank among the 5 Mazda5 years with enough videos (#1 = the year owners and reviewers talk about most positively). It is not a reliability rank.
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<iframe src="https://lemonindex.com/embed/cars/mazda-mazda5/" title="Mazda5 reliability by model year (The Lemon Index)" width="100%" height="284" style="border:0;max-width:720px" loading="lazy"></iframe><p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">Data: <a href="https://lemonindex.com/cars/mazda-mazda5/">Lemon Index</a> (Mazda5 reliability by year)</p>Scores before 2010 are rough: fewer owners filed complaints back then.
YouTube rank: we read 297 YouTube videos about the Mazda5, 2006 to 2015, and ranked every year by how much they praise it vs. how much they talk about problems. YouTube's favorite: 2008. Old cars rank lower partly because most of their videos are repair and restoration videos. A gray dot means not enough data yet: under 10 videos, or a new year with no owner complaints to compare.
Compare the Mazda5.
Opens the compare tool with both cars, every year side by side. Compare with any car →
Quick answers.
Is the Mazda5 reliable?
Not really. It draws 1.3× the average car's complaints, but YouTube owners sound happier with it than with most cars its age. Fewest complaints: 2012.
Is the Mazda5 a good car?
Not overall: it draws more complaints than the average car, by owner complaints to the government per car sold (2006-2012: Lemon Index 133; 100 is average). Some years are much better than others: 2012 drew the fewest complaints since 2010.
What are the best Mazda5 years to buy?
Only 3 Mazda5 years have enough data to score, so we don't list best years. 2012 drew the fewest complaints (a bit under half as many complaints as the average car).
What Mazda5 years should you stay away from?
Only 3 Mazda5 years have enough data to score, too few to single out years to avoid.
How many recalls does the Mazda5 have?
15 safety recalls across the 10 model years we track. Most: 2006 (3), 2009 (3), 2007 (2). Each year's page lists them.
What are the most common Mazda5 problems?
Across every year, owners' complaints to the government name steering, tires and suspension most. Some years are much worse than others: see the chart above.
Every year in one table
| Year | Index | Compared with average | Complaints | Top complaint | Recalls | Crash test | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 261 | about 3 times the average car's complaints | 36 | suspension (33%) | 3 | — | — |
| 2007 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 24 | suspension (38%) | 2 | — | — |
| 2008 | 206 | about twice the average car's complaints | 45 | steering (64%) | 2 | — | — |
| 2009 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 38 | steering (34%) | 3 | — | — |
| 2010 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 21 | tires (24%) | 1 | — | — |
| 2012 | 40 | a bit under half as many complaints as the average car | 15 | tires (40%) | 1 | ★★★★☆ | — |
| 2013 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 12 | seats (25%) | 1 | ★★★★☆ | — |
| 2014 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 4 | engine (50%) | 1 | ★★★★★ | — |
| 2015 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 2 | brakes (50%) | 1 | ★★★★★ | — |
| 2016 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 1 | — | 0 | ★★★★★ | — |
The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. U.S. sales source: goodcarbadcar.net. How it works
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Updated · Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com)
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