Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
25–27 mpgcombined; city 23–24, highway 29–30; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,030–$12,990U.S. average; Ohio $10,750–$11,610 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
Owners have filed 35 complaints with NHTSA about the 2024 CX-50. 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
8
1
1
0
Forward collision avoidance
6
1
0
1
Structure
6
0
1
2
Service brakes
5
1
0
0
Unknown or other
4
0
0
0
Back over prevention
3
0
0
0
Engine
3
0
1
0
Lane departure
3
0
0
0
Power train
3
0
0
0
Steering
3
0
0
0
Suspension
2
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
2
0
0
0
6 more parts
Air bags
1
1
0
3
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
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 1 recall campaign for the 2024 CX-50 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 2024-2025 CX-50 vehicles equipped with Mazda Genuine Accessory trailer hitches. The trailer hitch assembly bolts may loosen and cause the assembly to separate from the vehicle body during towing or normal driving conditions.
Risk: A detached trailer hitch assembly can create a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the trailer hitch bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Mazda's number for this recall is 7225C.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 192 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2024 CX-50, the latest on Sep 17, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (78), unknown or other (66), structure (24), engine (23), service brakes (16).
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 2024 CX-50.
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
CX-50 4-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
24 / 30 / 27
CX-50 4-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
23 / 29 / 25
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