Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
21–22 mpgcombined; city 19, highway 24–25; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,760–$15,470U.S. average; Ohio $13,190–$13,820 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
Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Mazda5. 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
Suspension
20
1
0
1
Tires
18
0
0
0
Steering
10
1
0
1
Engine and engine cooling
9
0
0
0
Structure
6
1
1
0
Latches/locks/linkages
5
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
4
0
0
0
Electrical system
3
0
0
0
Parking brake
3
1
0
0
Power train
3
0
0
0
Seat belts
3
1
1
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
0
1
0
11 more parts
Engine
2
0
1
0
Service brakes
2
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
2
0
0
0
Wheels
2
0
0
0
Child seat
1
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
1
0
1
Service brakes, electric
1
0
0
0
Unknown or other
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
1
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 2 recall campaigns for the 2006 Mazda5 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.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN,AND WYOMING. THE SIDE DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS MAY EXPERIENCE WATER INTRUSION ALLOWING THE LATCH MECHANISM TO FREEZE IN COLD WEATHER.
Risk: AS A RESULT, WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED THE DOOR LATCH PAWL MAY REMAIN IN THE OPEN POSITION RESULTING IN THE DOOR NOT BEING ABLE TO BE CLOSED AND LATCHED. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED WITH AN OPEN DOOR IT MAY ALLOW AN UNBELTED OCCUPANT TO BE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SLIDING DOOR LATCHES WITH MODIFIED LATCHES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, A HEAT BUILDUP IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CAN OCCUR.
Risk: THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: MAZDA INSTRUCTED OWNERS (SEPTEMBER 16, 2005) TO BRING IN THEIR VEHICLES AND WILL BE GIVEN A RENTAL OR LOANER VEHICLE AT NO COST WHILE MAZDA REPAIRS THESE VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 26, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 198 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2006 Mazda5, the latest on Aug 20, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (63), electrical system (29), engine and engine cooling (28), exterior lighting (17), steering (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 2006 Mazda5.
EPA class: midsize station wagons. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
5 Front-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl
Manual 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 25 / 22
5 Front-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (S4)
Regular Gasoline
19 / 24 / 21
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