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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2018 Mazda CX-5 is associated with 117 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 82 reports (70% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 4 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.2l 4-cyl and 2.5l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 26 to 29 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 117 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 3 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (82 / 70%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 1 crash / 0 fire / 1 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 26–29 MPG across 4 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
CX-5 2WD Diesel 2.2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 28 MPG 31 MPG 29 MPG — $2,750 / yr
CX-5 2WD 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 25 MPG 31 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
CX-5 4WD Diesel 2.2L 4-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 27 MPG 30 MPG 28 MPG — $2,850 / yr
CX-5 4WD 2.5L 4-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 24 MPG 30 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD Later Release 17.4%
SUV FWD Early Release 16.900000000000002%
SUV AWD Later Release 16.900000000000002%
SUV AWD Early Release 17.4%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Mazda CX-5 models.
View complete 2018 Mazda CX-5 crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

Summary of 117 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
117
Crash Reports
1
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
1
Total Injuries
1

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 82 complaints
Powertrain 10 complaints
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 6 complaints
Engine & Cooling 3 complaints
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 2 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2018 Mazda CX-5 problems & component breakdown (16 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #21V875000 Active Recall
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Defect Summary: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
NHTSA Campaign #19V497000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ENGINE

Defect Summary: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018-2019 CX-5, Mazda6, and 2019 Mazda3 vehicles. A software error in the powertrain control module (PCM) may cause the engine to stall.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the PCM software, free of charge. The recall began August 20, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3719F.
NHTSA Campaign #18V426000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Defect Summary: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda CX-5 vehicles. In the event of a side impact or rollover crash, the side curtain air bags may not properly unfold during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain air bags, free of charge. The recall began July 31, 2018. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2718F.
View all 2018 Mazda CX-5 recalls & campaign history (3 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2018 Mazda CX-5

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Mazda CX-5

How many safety recalls does the 2018 Mazda CX-5 have?

The 2018 Mazda CX-5 is associated with 3 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 3 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

NHTSA records list 117 consumer defect complaints for the 2018 Mazda CX-5. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 82 filings (70% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2018 Mazda CX-5 defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2018 Mazda CX-5?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2018 Mazda CX-5 earned Overall Safety Ratings ranging from 4 to 5 stars depending on tested variant across 4 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2018 Mazda CX-5 get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2018 Mazda CX-5 range from 26 to 29 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.