Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Mazda CX-5, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system30
- Unknown or other25
- Engine17
- Service brakes13
- Forward collision avoidance12
- Power train8
- Structure6
- Vehicle speed control6
- Air bags5
- Exterior lighting4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 6 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 40 2020 CX-5 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 17 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2020 Mazda CX-5 failed the safety check 1.16% of the time — 1% less often than the average 2020 passenger car (1.18%). Median odometer at inspection: 29,630 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2020
30,418 new Mazda CX-5 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2020; the largest markets were Germany (10,214), the United Kingdom (5,741), Spain (2,836).
- Average mass
- 1,606 kg
- Average CO₂
- 174 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 127 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 73% · Diesel 27%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2020 Mazda CX-5 cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 petrol (121 kW, 162 hp), 2.5 petrol (143 kW, 192 hp) and 2.0 petrol (120 kW, 161 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 121 kW 162 hp | 1,824 |
| 2.5 petrol | 143 kW 192 hp | 474 |
| 2.0 petrol | 120 kW 161 hp | 119 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
2,436 first registered in 2020 are on Dutch roads; 39% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €42,700.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde731
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld275
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht251
- Band onvoldoende profiel101
- Band beschadigd92
- Remschijf ernstig gecorrodeerd71
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage64
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm63
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
5,641 cars built in 2020 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 10 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 5,804 of these cars first registered in 2020 took their annual MOT test. 90% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2020 the figure was 88%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 2.9% | 1.8% |
| Tyres | 2.7% | 4.9% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2.5% | 3.0% |
| Visibility | 1.7% | 2.8% |
| Suspension | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.3% | 0.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
56 of these cars first registered in 2020 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 88,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
2,832 2020 cars are on the New Zealand register; 11% arrived as used imports, 89% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; 2 of 2 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Mazda CX-5 SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 16.9 % |
| 2020 Mazda CX-5 SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | 17.4 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 8.5–9.8 L/100 km (about 24–28 mpg US), CO₂ 201–230 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| CX-5 (Cylinder Deactivation) · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.3 | 7.6 | 8.5 |
| CX-5 · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.7 | 7.8 | 8.8 |
| CX-5 4WD (Cylinder Deactivation) · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.8 | 7.9 | 9.0 |
| CX-5 4WD · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.2 | 8.2 | 9.3 |
| CX-5 Turbo 4WD · Sport utility vehicle: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.8 | 8.7 | 9.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2020 Mazda CX-5.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mazda told its dealers about the 2020 Mazda CX-5: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011141 | Some customers may report concerns with interior upholstery surface stains particularly on high contact areas (e.g.: seats, steering wheel, door panels, shifter...etc.). This may be caused by skin oils or chemicals such as hand lotions. |
| 11011137 | On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P0126, due to the fail-safe thermostat being stuck open. Additionally, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms: -Engine takes longer to warm up. -Engine temperature gauge fluctuates. -Low coolant temperature indicator (blue) light stays on longer or turns on while driving. -Poor heater performance, especially at idle. This warranty extension program applies only to the replacement of fail-safe thermostat of the vehicle exhibiting the concerns mentioned above. If the check engine l |
| 11011134 | Some vehicles may have coolant leaks at the cylinder head around the exhaust manifold (as shown below). There may be cracks at the stud bolt hole (1) or at the outside of the exhaust manifold flange (2) on the cylinder head. |
| 11011133 | Some customers may experience a check engine light ON with DTC P0126:00 (Thermostat stuck open) and one or more of the following symptoms: Engine takes longer to warm up. Engine temperature gauge fluctuates. Low coolant temperature indicator (blue) light stays on longer or turns on while driving. Poor heater performance, especially at idle. |
| 11010990 | Some customers may complain that the headlights get foggy or have water spots inside. This concern may be caused by the anti-fog coating not preventing inner condensation under certain situations. To eliminate this concern, the anti-fog coating performance was improved. |
| 11009665 | Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Special Service Program (SSP) to extend the warranty coverage for a specific repair of the fail-safe thermostat in the coolant control valve on certain CX-5, Mazda3, CX-3, Mazda6 and CX-30 vehicles that are equipped with the suspected coolant control valve. The warranty coverage for a specific repair of fail-safe thermostat has been extended to 15 years (180 months) /150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first, from the original warranty start date. Concern Outline: On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with DTC |
| 11009664 | Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Special Service Program (SSP) to extend the warranty coverage for a specific repair of the fail-safe thermostat in the coolant control valve on certain CX-5, Mazda3, CX-3, Mazda6 and CX-30 vehicles that are equipped with the suspected coolant control valve. The warranty coverage for a specific repair of fail-safe thermostat has been extended to 15 years (180 months) /150,000 miles (240,000 km) whichever comes first, from the original warranty start date. Concern Outline: On certain subject vehicles, the check engine light is illuminated with DTC |
| 11009661 | Please review the entire Dealer Email below announced on October 17, 2024 for full details regarding this campaign. Warranty Information is at the bottom of the TSB Parts and Warranty information and Repair Procedures will be available by October 25, 2024. Until that time if a vehicle is presented to your dealer with a complaint and CSP11 is visible in eMDCS, please click here and follow instructions in TSB 01-002/23 COOLANT LEAKS AT CYLINDER HEAD and hold claims until the Parts and Warranty Information is available in eMDCS and MGSS. |
| 11009660 | Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Customer Service Program (CSP11) to extend the limited powertrain warranty to 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever occurs first, for necessary repairs if the covered vehicle has coolant leaks at the cylinder head, around the exhaust manifold. A dealer must inspect and confirm the covered vehicle is exhibiting coolant leaks at the cylinder head around the exhaust manifold matching Technical Service Bulletin 01-002/23 (Feb. 10, 2023) for the repair to be covered. |
| 11009659 | Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Customer Service Program (CSP11) to extend the limited powertrain warranty to 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever occurs first, for necessary repairs if the covered vehicle has coolant leaks at the cylinder head, around the exhaust manifold. A dealer must inspect and confirm the covered vehicle is exhibiting coolant leaks at the cylinder head around the exhaust manifold matching Technical Service Bulletin 01-002/23 (Feb. 10, 2023) for the repair to be covered. |
| 11009658 | Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a Customer Service Program (CSP11) to extend the limited powertrain warranty to 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever occurs first, for necessary repairs if the covered vehicle has coolant leaks at the cylinder head, around the exhaust manifold. A dealer must inspect and confirm the covered vehicle is exhibiting coolant leaks at the cylinder head around the exhaust manifold matching Technical Service Bulletin 01-002/23 (Feb. 10, 2023) for the repair to be covered. |
| 11009654 | The SKYACTIV-DRIVE FW6A-EL AT uses Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) Type: FZ. Only use ATF-FZ to fill or top off the fluid level. ATF-FZ is specially designed for use in the SKYACTIV-DRIVE series AT. It is a low viscosity formula with less friction for better fuel economy. NOTE: ATF-FZ is colored blue for easy identification. |
| 11009647 | A new cylinder head assembly for service parts has been newly established for SKYACTIV-G 2.5 with cylinder deactivation when replacement is needed. Valves, valve springs, valve spring seats, and cotters (IN/EX) are included in the new assembly. Hotline and MASH authorization is not required to order parts for performing this repair. If there are any questions on part ordering or part status, contact the Dealer Assistance Group. |
| 11009644 | Some vehicles exhibit brake related concerns such as brake noise, brake judder or brake dragging. If you encounter a customer complaint for any one of these symptoms, refer to the following information to understand why symptoms may occur, and to better assist the customer in resolving their specific brake concern. |
| 11009634 | Some customers may complain that the power liftgate (PLG) may open unintentionally while the vehicle is parked or stopped. Due to the shape of the 7th generation remote transmitter, the power liftgate button may be long pressed unintentionally in a pocket or a bag. To eliminate this concern, the keyless control specification has been modified. The button press time has been increased from 0.5 seconds to 1 second. |
| 11009630 | Some customers may complain of a shift shock when shifting from 2nd to 3rd when the engine is cold. This is caused by improper TCM control logic. To eliminate this concern, the TCM control logic has been modified. NOTE: If the calibration file of the concerned vehicle is not found in the Calibration Files Information below, this Service Information is not applicable. |
| 11009628 | Some customers may complain of a shift shock when shifting from 2nd to 3rd when the engine is cold. This is caused by improper TCM control logic. To eliminate this concern, the TCM control logic has been modified. NOTE: If the calibration file of the concerned vehicle is not found in the Calibration Files Information below, this Service Information is not applicable. |
| 11008578 | When the Telematics Control Unit (TCU) replacement is necessary due to a failure, use MDARS to activate the new TCU after replacement. Use the information in this service alert to initialize the new TCU until the procedure on MGSS is updated. |
| 11008577 | Some customers may complain about scratches on the instrument cluster lens. |
| 11007029 | For improvement of electrical diagnosis, the SKYACTIV Wiring Terminal Test Kits has been delivered all the dealers. The terminal test kit enables you: To check pin fit drag of all PCM terminals used in SKYACTIV vehicles and compare suspect terminal drag with a known good terminal. To measure the voltage/resistance avoiding any terminal damage. |
| 11007022 | Some vehicles may experience exterior trim heat damage such (melted, separating, etc.) when parked near a glass building or Low-E windows. This may be caused by the sun's reflection. |
| 11007019 | If you encounter any type of electrical concern (e.g, dead battery, engine no start, DTC(s) stored...), interview the customer before proceeding with normal MGSS diagnosis by asking if any aftermarket devices have been installed. Aftermarket devices may be the cause of the electrical concern. Below are a few examples of unusual electrical concerns caused by aftermarket devices. |
| 11007018 | Interior parts made of resin have antistatic coating to prevent dust from sticking on the surfaces, and depending on the conditions of use, the antistatic components may crystallize slightly, giving an appearance of white stains on the surface. To remove the stains, wipe the stained surface with a towel soaked with water mixed with a small portion of a neutral detergent. If the white stains reappear again, simply wipe them again in the same way. |
| 11007013 | Auxiliary key blank cutting procedure. There are currently 2 methods for cutting a new auxiliary key blank. A. Auxiliary Key Trace Cut Method B. Auxiliary Key Code Cut Method |
| 11007010 | Some customer's might state that they notice fluid or oil leaking/dripping on the ground when the vehicle is parked. For this concern, inspect the vehicle for any trace of a fluid or oil leak and use the following examples as a guide to determine if it is severe enough to require a repair, or just to clean the area and monitor it at the next service. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)