2018 Mazda MX-5 reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2018 Mazda MX-5 holds 3 complaints after 9 years, a rate of 1 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most MX-5 years here — under the median of the other years, which is 1. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Air bag control module, software, Fuel pump, and Transmission control module.

2012 Mazda MX-5 — Photo by Chris Woodrich, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (1 of 3), then Engine (1) and Powertrain (1).

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 MX-5 has 11 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2019 has 11 complaints, 2 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019.

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 2018 Mazda MX-5. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (3)

Recall air bags, air bag control module, software 2024-09-18 · NHTSA campaign 24V695000

Summary Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Remedy Dealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 6924I.

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 powertrain, automatic transmission, transmission control module 2019-02-01 · NHTSA campaign 19V072000

Summary Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2019 MX-5 (Miata) vehicles with automatic transmissions. Due to incorrect programming of the Transmission Control Module (TCM), certain conditions may cause the vehicle to unexpectedly downshift and abruptly decelerate.

Remedy Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the TCM with corrected software, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3019A.

Complaints by component (3 total)

Electrical system

Engine

Powertrain

Speed control

Structure

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"2018 Mazda Miata MX-5 Club Sport, manual transmission Heading home from a friends house that evening, transmission started whirring/whining in 6th gear, then 5th, and so on through 2nd - 1st gear seems to be unaffected.…"
Powertrain · filed 2024-06-19
"I'VE OWNED MY 2018 MAZDA MX-5 FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS. THE PROBLEMS SLOW STARTED ARISING. AT FIRST I HADN'T NOTICED, BUT WHEN GOING IN AND OUT OF 'DRIVE' THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS EITHER GOING TO STALL OR ACCELERATE. I…"
Electrical system, Speed control, Engine · filed 2020-12-20
"STARTED FROM CREAK NOISE AS CAR START TO MOVE, ACCELERATE OR STOP. NOW IT DEVELOPED TO SOME TICKING NOISE EVERY TIME CAR ACCELERATE OR DECELERATE. THE CAR IS ONLY AT ABOUT 9700 MI WENT TO SPREEN MAZDA LOMA LINDA CA TO…"
Structure · filed 2019-11-22

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2018 Mazda MX-5 C RWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated

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
MX-5	2L, 4-cyl	Manual 6-speed	Rear-wheel drive	26	33	29 MPG	$2750
MX-5	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	26	35	29 MPG	$2750

Specs and fitment

4th generation (ND), 2016–2023

Body styles Roadster

Oil SAE 0W-20 (SKYACTIV-G 2.0L) , 4.5 qt capacity

Tire size 195/50R16, 205/45R17 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 24V695000 covers affected vehicles after the agency found that mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection.". An air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash. Remedy: Dealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 6924I.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Mazda MX-5 Next year 2019 Mazda MX-5 See every Mazda MX-5 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Mazda MX-5 reliable?

What are common problems with a 2018 Mazda MX-5?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (1 of 3), then Engine (1) and Powertrain (1).

Is the 2018 Mazda MX-5 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 MX-5 has 11 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2019 has 11 complaints, 2 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Mazda MX-5 been recalled?

The 2018 Mazda MX-5 has 3 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 2018 Mazda MX-5?

Owners have filed 3 complaints about the 2018 Mazda MX-5 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Mazda MX-5 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Mazda MX-5 is 29 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a Mazda MX-5 Miata use?

NC (2012-2015): SAE 5W-30 for the 2.0L MZR. ND/NE (2016-on): SAE 0W-20 for SKYACTIV-G 2.0L.

What does NHTSA recall 24V695000 cover on ND MX-5?

Certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles: a software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force.

What tire size does the NC MX-5 use?

205/45R17 on the NC generation listed here.