2012 Mazda Mazda2

Showing the 2012 Mazda2 GX. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 1.5 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
30–31 mpgcombined; city 28–29, highway 33–34; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,480–$10,830U.S. average; Ohio $9,360–$9,680 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 overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
Recall campaigns
0none on file
Owner complaints
9filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2012 Mazda2. 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.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Mazda2. 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
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air bags3000
Service brakes2000
Steering2000
Electrical system1000
Fuel system, gasoline1000
Seats1000
Service brakes, hydraulic1000
Suspension1000
Vehicle speed control1000

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.

  1. 201117
  2. 20129
  3. 201313
  4. 20149
  5. 20160
  6. 20170
  7. 20180
  8. 20190
  9. 20200
  10. 20210

Every Mazda2 year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2012 Mazda2. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 211 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Mazda2, the latest on Sep 11, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: equipment (74), electrical system (48), engine and engine cooling (23), steering (17), service brakes (15).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

InvestigationPartOpenedStatus
Engineering analysis EA21002
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture · covers 37 makes		Air bagsSep 17, 2021Open
NHTSA's record and documents

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 2012 Mazda2.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Specs

EPA class: compact cars. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
2
Front-Wheel Drive		1.5 L, 4 cylManual 5-spdRegular Gasoline29 / 34 / 31
2
Front-Wheel Drive		1.5 L, 4 cylAutomatic 4-spdRegular Gasoline28 / 33 / 30

Sources and dates

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