Research · complaint index
Mazda CX-3 years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 6 model years of the Mazda CX-3 by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2016 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 | 1 | 0.3 | 1 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2019 | 27 | 3 | 1.6 | 2 | 1 | Typical |
| 2018 | 10 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | Typical |
| 2017 | 21 | 2 | 1.0 | 1 | 2 | Typical |
| 2016 | 48 | 4 | 2.1 | 3 | 4 | Most complaints |
- 20214 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 20201 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 201927 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 201810 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 201721 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 201648 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 10, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2020, 2021.
About this comparison
What Mazda CX-3 years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2016 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 6 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.