2013 Mazda CX-5 reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2013 Mazda CX-5 holds 194 complaints after 14 years, a rate of 22 per year. That is more complaints per year than most CX-5 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 15. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Liftgate.

Complaints

194

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (58 of 194), then Engine (42) and Powertrain (38). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 1 that reports a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2014

The 2014 CX-5 has 377 complaints, 44 per year. The 2013 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2013 Mazda CX-5. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (1)

Recall structure, body, liftgate 2016-09-06 · NHTSA campaign 16V644000

Summary Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.

Remedy Mazda dealers will replace the both lift gate supports, free of charge, however parts are not currently available. The recall began April 2017. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9916H.

Complaints by component (194 total)

Electrical system

Engine

Powertrain

Service brakes

Speed control

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Structure

Seats

Fuel and propulsion system

Visibility

Visibility and wipers

Steering

Suspension

Wheels

Hydraulic brakes

Air bags

Engine and engine cooling

Fuel system, gasoline

Show 10 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"Shifter switch has gone out and no longer recognizes the car is in park, causes battery drainage because car cannot fully turn off. Car not recognizing gears can cause car accidents and possible loss of life. This issue…"
Unknown or other · filed 2025-12-26
"Shifter switch has gone out and no longer recognizes the car is in park, causes battery drainage because car cannot fully turn off. Car not recognizing gears can cause car accidents and possible loss of life. This issue…"
Unknown or other · filed 2025-12-26
"Shifter switch has gone out and no longer recognizes the car is in park, causes battery drainage because car cannot fully turn off. Car not recognizing gears can cause car accidents and possible loss of life. This issue…"
Unknown or other · filed 2025-12-26
"Shifter switch has gone out and no longer recognizes the car is in park, causes battery drainage because car cannot fully turn off. Car not recognizing gears can cause car accidents and possible loss of life. This issue…"
Unknown or other · filed 2025-12-26
"Shifter switch has gone out and no longer recognizes the car is in park, causes battery drainage because car cannot fully turn off. Car not recognizing gears can cause car accidents and possible loss of life. This issue…"
Unknown or other · filed 2025-12-26

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2013 Mazda CX-5 SUV AWD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2013 Mazda CX-5 SUV FWD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
CX-5 two-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Front-wheel drive	26	34	29 MPG	$2250
CX-5 two-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	26	32	28 MPG	$2300
CX-5 four-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Four-wheel drive	25	30	27 MPG	$2400

Specs and fitment

1st generation (KE), 2013–2016

Body styles SUV

Oil SAE 0W-20 (gasoline SKYACTIV-G 2.5; 5W-30 where manual specifies) , 4.8 qt capacity

Tire size 225/65R17

Towing capacity 2,000 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Safety recall 16V-644 (Mazda 9916H) covers certain 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles among other Mazda models: liftgate support struts may corrode, break, or let the liftgate drop unexpectedly and strike a person. Dealers replace both liftgate supports free of charge. The campaign also lists certain Mazda3, Mazdaspeed3, Mazda5, and CX-3 vehicles under the same number.

Compare

Next year 2014 Mazda CX-5 See every Mazda CX-5 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Mazda CX-5 reliable?

What are common problems with a 2013 Mazda CX-5?

Is the 2013 Mazda CX-5 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 CX-5 has 377 complaints, 44 per year. The 2013 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014.

Has the 2013 Mazda CX-5 been recalled?

The 2013 Mazda CX-5 has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2013 Mazda CX-5?

Owners have filed 194 complaints about the 2013 Mazda CX-5 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2013 Mazda CX-5 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2013 Mazda CX-5 is 28 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Mazda CX-5 use?

US CX-5 manuals specify SAE 0W-20 for SKYACTIV-G gasoline engines.

What generation is the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

2nd generation / KF (2017-on).

What tire sizes does a Mazda CX-5 use?

First-gen pages often list 225/65R17; second-gen trims also use 225/55R19 among other sizes.