Reliable Auto DB

2020 Mazda CX-9 reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Mazda CX-9 over 7 years — 2 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 1 recall on file, including Middle or rear assembly.

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

19

Per year

2

Recalls

1

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (5 of 19), then Electrical system (4) and Fuel and propulsion system (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 CX-9 has 53 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2021 has 39 complaints, 7 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021.

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 2020 Mazda CX-9. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall seats, middle or rear assembly 2021-09-27 · NHTSA campaign 21V750000
Summary Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2020-2021 CX-9 vehicles equipped with 60/40 split bench second-row seats. The left-side second-row seat may unexpectedly slide forward during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Remedy Dealers will replace the internal parts of the affected second-row seats, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5221I.

Complaints by component (19 total)

Engine
5
Electrical system
4
Fuel and propulsion system
3
Forward collision avoidance
2
Powertrain
2
Service brakes
2
Air bags
1
Back-over prevention
1
Structure
1
Tires
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 3 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

120203202122022220235202562026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owned a 2020 Mazda CX-9. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, a second vehicle crashed head-on into the front of the vehicle. During the head-on crash, no air bags inside the vehicle…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-06-30
  • "The mazda Cx-9 is having the same fuel pump issues that was recalled up until 2018 models. The issue with the lean codes and faulty fuel pump continues"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-06-19
  • "Prior to [XXX] The vehicle ran rough and sputter excessively. I took car to local repair shop. Diagnostic equipment determined the fuel injector needed to be replaced. Vehicle ran better but continued to sputter and…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-06-01
  • "Warning signal front camera sensor system malfunction Forward Smart City Brake Support malfunction When this initial happen the steering wheel becomes hard to maneuver than releases The front and back cameras are clear…"
    Back-over prevention · filed 2026-03-17
  • "All 4 of my BH255/50R20 XL 109v NOKIAN WR G4 vehicle tires are exhibiting abnormal tread degradation and excessive sidewall cracking. The tire defect includes a circumferential crack along the top of all 4 tires, where…"
    Tires · filed 2026-03-01

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 Mazda CX-9 SUV AWD 5 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2020 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 2019 Mazda CX-9 Next year 2021 Mazda CX-9 See every Mazda CX-9 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Mazda CX-9 reliable?

Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Mazda CX-9 over 7 years — 2 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 1 recall on file, including Middle or rear assembly.

What are common problems with a 2020 Mazda CX-9?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (5 of 19), then Electrical system (4) and Fuel and propulsion system (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2020 Mazda CX-9 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 CX-9 has 53 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2021 has 39 complaints, 7 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 Mazda CX-9 been recalled?

The 2020 Mazda CX-9 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 2020 Mazda CX-9?

Owners have filed 19 complaints about the 2020 Mazda CX-9 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Mazda CX-9 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 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.