Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2018 Mazda CX-5 has 351 owner complaints, most of them about the engine (179). It gets 26 to 29 mpg combined and a 5-year fuel cost of $11,600 to $16,550 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 5 overall stars. There are 3 recall campaigns covering the fuel system, engine, transmission and drivetrain, and others, which may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
26–29 mpgcombined; city 24–28, highway 30–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$11,600–$16,550U.S. average; Ohio $10,370–$16,760 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 2018 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 351 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 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
Engine
179
4
1
0
Unknown or other
58
4
0
1
Power train
42
1
0
0
Service brakes
32
7
0
1
Electrical system
29
0
1
0
Fuel/propulsion system
20
0
1
0
Fuel system, gasoline
19
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
13
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
13
4
0
0
Structure
12
1
0
0
Air bags
9
4
0
1
Exterior lighting
5
0
0
0
16 more parts
Lane departure
5
0
0
0
Back over prevention
4
0
0
0
Suspension
4
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
3
0
0
0
Equipment
3
0
0
0
Seat belts
3
0
0
0
Steering
3
2
0
1
Visibility
3
0
0
1
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
0
0
0
Wheels
2
0
0
0
Child seat
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
1
0
1
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
1
0
1
Tires
1
1
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 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 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 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.
Risk: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.
Risk: An unexpected stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda CX-5 vehicles. In the event of a side impact or rollover crash, the side curtain air bags may not properly unfold during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy properly in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2718F.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 634 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2018 CX-5, the latest on Sep 11, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (171), electrical system (160), engine and engine cooling (105), engine (78), power train (58).
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 2018 CX-5.
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