Reliable Auto DB

2019 Mazda CX-9 reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2019 Mazda CX-9 has 53 complaints with NHTSA after 8 years, or 3 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most CX-9 years here — under the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Fuel pump and Tread.

2012 Mazda CX-9
Photo by Ethan Llamas, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC0
Complaints

53

Per year

3

Recalls

2

Years on the road

8

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (23 of 53), then Electrical system (7) and Powertrain (5). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash.

Next to 2018 and 2020

The 2018 CX-9 has 128 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2020 has 19 complaints, 2 per year. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

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 2019 Mazda CX-9. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall Fuel pump 2021-11-12 · NHTSA campaign 21V875000
Summary Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Remedy Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
Recall tires, tread 2019-10-28 · NHTSA campaign 19V770000
Summary Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2019 CX-9 vehicles equipped with Sumitomo Falken ZIEX CT50 A/S tires, size P255/50R20 104V, having date code 1619. An incorrect rubber compound may have been used in the tire's manufacturing, allowing the tread to separate and detach.
Remedy Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect all four tire serial numbers, replacing the tires as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4019J.

Complaints by component (53 total)

Engine
23
Electrical system
7
Powertrain
5
Suspension
4
Back-over prevention
3
Structure
3
Forward collision avoidance
2
Service brakes
2
Steering
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Fuel and propulsion system
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Seats
1
Speed control
1
Visibility
1
Show 7 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

320193202022021720221420231220247202552026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "It’s now in the shop being torn down for further inspection but it looks to be a cracked cylinder head leak ."
    Powertrain, Unknown or other, Engine · filed 2026-08-22
  • "The engine cylinder head developed an internal coolant leak, allowing coolant to enter the combustion chamber. This caused engine overheating and smoke coming from the tailpipe while driving. A dealer performed a…"
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-07-10
  • "My 2019 Mazda CX-9 (VIN [XXX]) suffered catastrophic cylinder head failure on the SKYACTIV-G 2.5T engine at approximately 124,000 miles. The failure is consistent with Mazda TSB 01-013/21 (and successors 01-007/22,…"
    Engine · filed 2026-06-18
  • "- Coolant leak at cylinder head and turbo at only 63,000 miles. - Safety issue because no warning lamps or messages appeared and potential for car to overheat without coolant circulating in the system. Car could…"
    Engine · filed 2026-01-31
  • "Mazda has a current service alert ("SA", SA-001/23) for issues with their Gen 6 Infotainment Center Display, which covers issues (e.g. ghost touch, surface peeling, spider cracks, and white dots) and defects the occur…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-01-12

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2019 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2019 Mazda CX-9 SUV FWD 5 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-9 two-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 22 28 24 MPG $2700
CX-9 four-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Four-wheel drive 20 26 23 MPG $2800

Specs and fitment

2nd generation (TC), 2016–2023
Body styles SUV
Oil SAE 5W-30 (SKYACTIV-G 2.5T turbo) , 5.1 qt capacity
Tire size 255/50R20, 255/60R18 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 3,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 19V-403 covers certain 2018 Mazda CX-9 vehicles: the wiring harness may disrupt electrical communications and disable the passenger frontal air bag, turn signals, and/or engine starting; dealers repair the harnesses. Campaign 21V-875 covers certain 2018-2019 CX-9 vehicles (with Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-3, CX-5, MX-5, and Mazda2 in the same campaign) where the low-pressure fuel pump impeller may crack and cause an engine stall; dealers replace the fuel pumps. Confirm open campaigns by VIN; multi-model unit counts are shared.

Compare

Previous year 2018 Mazda CX-9 Next year 2020 Mazda CX-9 See every Mazda CX-9 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Mazda CX-9 reliable?

The 2019 Mazda CX-9 has 53 complaints with NHTSA after 8 years, or 3 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most CX-9 years here — under the median of the other years, which is 4. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Fuel pump and Tread.

What are common problems with a 2019 Mazda CX-9?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (23 of 53), then Electrical system (7) and Powertrain (5). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash.

Is the 2019 Mazda CX-9 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2018 CX-9 has 128 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2020 has 19 complaints, 2 per year. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

Has the 2019 Mazda CX-9 been recalled?

The 2019 Mazda CX-9 has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2019 Mazda CX-9?

Owners have filed 53 complaints about the 2019 Mazda CX-9 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2019 Mazda CX-9 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2019 Mazda CX-9 is 23.5 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-9 use?

US CX-9 manuals specify SAE 5W-30 for the SKYACTIV-G 2.5T turbo engine.

What generation is the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

2nd generation / TC (2016-2023).

What tire sizes does a Mazda CX-9 use?

Second-gen US sizes include 255/60R18 and 255/50R20; first-gen pages list 245/60R18 and 245/50R20.