Showing the 2013 CX-5 Sport. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 2.0 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
27–29 mpgcombined; city 25–26, highway 30–34; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$11,200–$12,030U.S. average; Ohio $10,010–$10,750 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2013 CX-5. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 194 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 CX-5. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Electrical system
58
0
1
0
Engine
42
1
0
0
Power train
38
0
0
0
Unknown or other
28
0
0
5
Service brakes
24
3
0
0
Vehicle speed control
22
3
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
15
0
0
0
Structure
15
0
0
0
Seats
13
0
0
3
Fuel/propulsion system
9
0
0
0
Visibility
6
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
5
0
0
0
7 more parts
Steering
4
1
0
0
Suspension
3
0
0
0
Wheels
3
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
2
0
0
0
Air bags
1
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2013 CX-5 over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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.
Risk: If the lift gate falls unexpectedly, it may hit the user, increasing their risk of injury.
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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 824 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2013 CX-5, the latest on Sep 11, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (262), electrical system (125), engine (84), structure (77), power train (70).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2013 CX-5.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 7–8 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
CX-5 Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
26 / 34 / 29
CX-5 Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
26 / 32 / 28
CX-5 4-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
25 / 30 / 27
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data