Research · complaint index
Mazda RX-8 years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 8 model years of the Mazda RX-8 by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2004, 2005 stand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | 0.1 | 3 | 1 | Fewest complaints |
| 2010 | 5 | 0 | 0.2 | 4 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2009 | 8 | 0 | 0.2 | 4 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2008 | 17 | 1 | 0.5 | 5 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2007 | 38 | 2 | 1.0 | 5 | 2 | Typical |
| 2006 | 60 | 3 | 1.5 | 5 | 1 | Typical |
| 2005 | 168 | 8 | 4.0 | 6 | 6 | Most complaints |
| 2004 | 515 | 22 | 11.8 | 10 | 23 | Most complaints |
- 20114 complaints · 3 recallsFewest complaints
- 20105 complaints · 4 recallsFewest complaints
- 20098 complaints · 4 recallsFewest complaints
- 200817 complaints · 5 recallsFewest complaints
- 200738 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 200660 complaints · 5 recallsTypical
- 2005168 complaints · 6 recallsMost complaints
- 2004515 complaints · 10 recallsMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 11, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008.
About this comparison
What Mazda RX-8 years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2004, 2005 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 8 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.