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Owner report · 2021 model year

2021 Mazda CX-5

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2021 Mazda CX-5
Crash-test image: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Department of Transportation.

The Verdict

Worst problem area

Engine

Engine leads by volume: 83 of 150 complaints (55%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Driver Assistance & Speed Control include more reported injuries (6) than those mentioning any other identified area.

Complaints filed rose from 110 in 2020 to 150 in 2021.

Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

At a glance

NHTSA complaints
150
Recall campaigns
0
EPA fuel cost per year
$2,200–$2,600
Combined MPG
24–28

Complaints by model year

  1. 2732019
  2. 1102020
  3. 1502021
  4. 652022
  5. 672023

Where owners report problems

  1. Engine83 (55%)
  2. Driver Assistance & Speed Control22 (15%)
  3. Other17 (11%)
  4. Transmission & Drivetrain17 (11%)
  5. Electrical14 (9%)
  6. Brakes12 (8%)
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.Also cataloged for 2021: 2 configuration(s) of a different vehicle class, excluded from the comparison bar only (but included in the figures above).
Category20192020202120222023vs. 2021 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Annual fuel cost ($)2,200–3,3502,200–2,6002,200–2,6002,400–2,6002,400–2,600
Combined MPG24–2924–2824–2824–2624–26
City / Highway MPG22–28 / 27–3122–25 / 27–3122–25 / 27–3122–24 / 27–3022–24 / 27–30
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)322–370322–370322–370337–370337–370
Complaints filed2731101506567Not compared
Recalls issued20000Not compared
Crash-involved complaints7101058Not compared
Fire-involved complaints20020Not compared
Injuries reported56815Not compared
Deaths reported00000Not compared
Configurations compared32222

Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.

Common questions

How many recalls does the 2021 Mazda CX-5 have?

No NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026.

What is the most common complaint about the 2021 Mazda CX-5?

Engine: 83 of 150 NHTSA complaints (55%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 2021 Mazda CX-5 get?

EPA rates it 24–28 MPG combined.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Mazda CX-5?

EPA estimates $2,200–$2,600 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

Similar Vehicles

EPA-Rated Configurations (4)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
ConfigurationTransmissionCylindersDisplacementDrivetrainFuel TypeVehicle ClassCityHighwayCombinedAnnual Fuel CostCO₂
Configuration 1Automatic (S6)42.5LFront-Wheel DriveRegularSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD25 mpg (high)31 mpg (high)28 mpg (high)$2,200 (low)322 g/mi (low)
Configuration 2Automatic (S6)42.5LFront-Wheel DriveRegularSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD23 mpg28 mpg25 mpg$2,500355 g/mi
Configuration 3Automatic (S6)42.5L4-Wheel DriveRegularSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD24 mpg30 mpg26 mpg$2,400337 g/mi
Configuration 4Automatic (S6)42.5L4-Wheel DriveRegularSmall Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD22 mpg (low)27 mpg (low)24 mpg (low)$2,600 (high)370 g/mi (high)

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
CategoryComplaintsCrash-InvolvedFire-InvolvedInjuriesDeaths
Engine831010
Transmission & Drivetrain170000
Fuel System81020
Electrical142010
Brakes123030
Steering20000
Suspension, Wheels & Tires50000
Airbags & Restraints61010
Driver Assistance & Speed Control227060
Body, Seats & Latches42020
Visibility & Lighting90000
Other173030

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls

No recalls have been issued for this model-year.