10 Used Mazda Models You Should Steer Clear Of At All Costs

The all-new second-generation Mazda6 launched for the 2009 model year, and while it received praise from both critics and customers for its fresh looks and attractive interior, it did suffer from some teething issues during its first year on sale. According to NHTSA data, the 2009 Mazda6 has required 10 recalls over its lifespan and has been the subject of more than 360 complaints to the agency.

Five of these recalls concern faults with the airbags or related components, while other recalls include a potentially defective door handle and excessive corrosion of a suspension mounting point. Perhaps the strangest recall affecting the car is the 2011 recall regarding fuel tank pressure, with 52,000 examples of the Mazda6 having to undergo remedial work as there was a risk of spiders entering and blocking the canister vent line.

Owner complaints are varied, but a significant proportion mention excessive corrosion, with both the front and rear subframes highlighted as weak points. In some instances, drivers have reported sudden suspension failure while driving which was later found to be caused by excessive corrosion. Alongside the 2009 model year, the 2010 and 2011 model year Mazda6 also suffers from similar reported problems, although neither has been subject to as many complaints as the 2009 model.

It can be quite often the case that newer models with unproven designs suffer from the highest rate of reliability issues, but not with the 2012 Mazda CX-9. The car arrived for the 2012 model year having already been on the market for several years, but managed to rack up a higher number of driver complaints to the NHTSA than any previous model year. In total, 218 complaints have been recorded as of this writing, along with four recalls.

Three of those four recalls concern the car's Takata airbags. One was issued in response to reports of excessive corrosion of certain suspension components. However, most owner complaints center around a different issue, one that has not been subject to a recall. Over 130 reports cite brake failure as the cause for filing the report, with the brake booster being the most common point of failure. Some owners reported brakes becoming harder to operate or even inoperable while on the road. A smaller number of owners also reported water pump failure, often causing significant or total engine failure and sometimes resulting in the car being written off.

SlashGear reviewed the 2016 Mazda CX-5 and found it to be one of the best people movers in its segment. A range of engines was available — albeit some feeling more enthusiastic than others — and in top-spec form, the CX-5 was surprisingly enjoyable to drive. However, in the years since that review, several issues have emerged that make the 2016 CX-5 a much less desirable used pick. The NHTSA has logged 448 complaints and five recalls regarding the model as of this writing, with several common failure points causing trouble for owners.

The most frequent complaint involved the failure of the car's lights — either the daytime running lights or the headlights. The daytime running lights were subject to a 2020 recall on certain CX-5s, but reports have continued to appear of lighting issues as recently as January 2024. Prematurely wearing or failing brakes have also been reported by multiple owners, alongside various electrical gremlins ranging from a faulty infotainment system to an overheating seat heater.

With Mazda under Ford ownership at the turn of the century, it made sense for the Japanese brand's first American market SUV to be related to the Blue Oval. The Tribute debuted in 2001 and was built alongside the Escape at Ford's plant in Kansas City. Both were related, sharing many of the same internals. The 2001 Escape was not a particularly reliable car, and unfortunately, since they were built on the same assembly line, neither was the 2001 Tribute. The NHTSA has recorded 580 complaints for the model year to date, alongside 15 recalls.

Many recalls are shared with the Escape — an issue with the brake master cylinder, for example, plus a defective speed control cable connector. The most common area for complaint for the Tribute was the engine and engine cooling, but others reported issues with the fuel system, door locks and handles, and various issues with the brakes. Excessive corrosion is also frequently cited as a point of concern.

[Featured image by IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public Domain]

Combining the practicality of an SUV with the driving manners of something much smaller and sportier, the 2007 Mazda CX-7 was a unique offering in its segment. It helped set the blueprint for the brand's later crossovers, continuing through to the 2024 CX-90, which SlashGear found to be the best handling three-row family hauler of its kind. The CX-7 debuted for the 2007 model year, and it seems that, as is often the case, the initial batch of cars had some teething troubles. The NHTSA has recorded over 500 complaints about the car to date, alongside five recalls. Three recalls concern defective Takata airbags — an unfortunate but not uncommon problem plaguing many vehicles made around that era. Another recall was issued for a potentially defective roof rack bolt, while the fifth recall dates from 2016 and concerns excessive corrosion of certain suspension components.

Airbags are one of the most common areas of owner complaints for the 2007 CX-7, accounting for over 100 complaints logged with the NHTSA. The most common issues, however, centered around the engine. Drivers reported frequent AC compressor failure, sometimes resulting in fire, as well as persistent problems with the variable valve timing. These issues seem to have most affected 2007 models, with the 2008 CX-7 receiving less than 200 complaints and the 2009 CX-7 receiving a mere 63 complaints to date.

To build a list of the least reliable used Mazdas, SlashGear searched the NHTSA's database of every car sold by the manufacturer between 1990 and the present day. The primary criteria for inclusion on the list was a notably higher amount of owner complaints than average. In particular, cars with significant numbers of complaints concerning issues like structural or powertrain problems were given preference, as these will likely be the most complicated and costly to fix for used car owners.

Recalls were also considered in the inclusion criteria. A higher number of recalls over any car's lifespan increases the chance that a used example will have not had one or more of those recall issues rectified. In many cases, it can be difficult for used car buyers to fully verify the extent of any recall remedial work that has been performed, making cars with higher numbers of recalls generally worth avoiding for a hassle-free ownership experience.