Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
26–31 mpgcombined; city 23–27, highway 31–37; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,480–$12,490U.S. average; Ohio $9,360–$11,160 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 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2024 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
Electrical system
5
1
0
0
Unknown or other
4
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
0
0
0
Lane departure
2
2
0
1
Structure
2
1
0
1
Air bags
1
1
0
1
Power train
1
0
0
0
Service brakes
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
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 2024 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 is recalling certain 2024-2025 Mazda3 and CX30 vehicles. The Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) units may set an error code and deactivate the air bags, due to a low battery condition.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy in the event of a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the SAS unit with improved software or replace the unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2025. Mazda's number for this recall is 7525E.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024 Mazda 3, CX-30, and 2025 CX-50 vehicles. A malfunction in the forward sensing camera (FSC) may prevent the automatic emergency braking system and the lane-keep assist system from functioning. In addition, the headlights will not automatically adjust from high beams to low beams as intended.
Risk: Automatic braking, steering assist, and headlight control systems that do not function as intended can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the forward sensing camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 24, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 6824H.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2024 CX-90 and MAZDA3 vehicles. Due to a software error, the rearview, front, and/or side camera images may not appear on the display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the view monitor control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 20, 2023. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 6223J.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 255 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2024 Mazda3, the latest on Sep 18, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (108), unknown or other (96), structure (29), engine (28), power train (21).
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 Mazda3.
EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
3 4-Door Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 37 / 31
3 4-Door 4-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
26 / 35 / 30
3 4-Door 4-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
23 / 32 / 27
3 5-Door Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
26 / 36 / 30
3 5-Door Front-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 35 / 30
3 5-Door 4-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
26 / 33 / 29
3 5-Door 4-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
23 / 31 / 26
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