Showing the 2012 Mazda3 Base. We haven't verified this trim's engine; 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
23–32 mpgcombined; city 20–28, highway 28–39; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,150–$14,120U.S. average; Ohio $9,070–$12,620 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 2012 Mazda3. 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 226 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Mazda3. 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
Power train
40
0
0
0
Engine
32
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
31
1
0
0
Electrical system
25
0
1
0
Vehicle speed control
20
3
0
1
Fuel/propulsion system
18
0
0
0
Unknown or other
18
1
0
0
Air bags
17
1
0
2
Structure
17
1
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
16
0
0
0
Seats
16
2
0
0
Steering
15
1
0
0
12 more parts
Service brakes
14
1
0
2
Wheels
12
0
0
0
Suspension
9
1
0
0
Visibility/wiper
5
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
4
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
4
0
0
0
Tires
4
0
0
0
Visibility
4
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
0
0
0
Traction control system
2
0
0
0
Equipment adaptive/mobility
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
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 2012 Mazda3 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 446 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Mazda3, the latest on Sep 11, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (154), electrical system (75), power train (71), engine (61), engine and engine cooling (41).
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.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Engineering analysis EA21002 Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture · covers 37 makes
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 Mazda3.
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