Mazda MX-5 years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 21 model years of the Mazda MX-5 by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2016, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2019, 2006, 2017, 2022 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | Too new to judge |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 3.3 | 1 | 0 | Most complaints |
| 2024 | 5 | 2 | 3.6 | 1 | 0 | Most complaints |
| 2023 | 7 | 2 | 3.8 | 1 | 1 | Most complaints |
| 2022 | 5 | 1 | 2.2 | 1 | 0 | Most complaints |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0.4 | 1 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | 0.9 | 1 | 0 | Typical |
| 2019 | 11 | 1 | 3.0 | 2 | 2 | Most complaints |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 0.7 | 3 | 0 | Typical |
| 2017 | 11 | 1 | 2.4 | 2 | 1 | Most complaints |
| 2016 | 34 | 3 | 6.7 | 3 | 3 | Most complaints |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2014 | 6 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | Typical |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | 0.7 | 0 | 1 | Typical |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2010 | 4 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | Typical |
| 2009 | 3 | 0 | 0.4 | 0 | 2 | Fewest complaints |
| 2008 | 7 | 0 | 0.8 | 0 | 1 | Typical |
| 2007 | 17 | 1 | 1.8 | 0 | 1 | Typical |
| 2006 | 25 | 1 | 2.6 | 0 | 1 | Most complaints |
- 20261 complaints · 0 recallsToo new to judge
- 20253 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
- 20245 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
- 20237 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
- 20225 complaints · 1 recallMost complaints
- 20211 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 20203 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 201911 complaints · 2 recallsMost complaints
- 20183 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 201711 complaints · 2 recallsMost complaints
- 201634 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 20151 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 20146 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 20132 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 20125 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 20111 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 20104 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 20093 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 20087 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 200717 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 200625 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
Fewest complaints for their age: 2011, 2015, 2013, 2009, 2021.
About this comparison
What Mazda MX-5 years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2016, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2019, 2006, 2017, 2022 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 21 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.