2026 Mazda CX-50 Problems
Compared with other Mazda CX-50 years
Too new to compare
- Model years are compared once their first three years of complaints are in; the 2026 can be compared from 2029.
- Most reported part: Forward collision avoidance (3 complaints).
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 14filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 3,506miles, 1 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 / 5stars overall
- EPA fuel economy
- 26 mpgcombined, 2.5L 4-cyl 4WD · 24 city / 30 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2026 Mazda CX-50 (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 14 consumer complaints for the 2026 Mazda CX-50. The part named most often is forward collision avoidance, with 3 complaints (21% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (3) and air bags (2). 1 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 3,506 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 70 technical service bulletins for this model year. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Air bags2 14%
- Engine2 14%
- Fuel system2 14%
- Other or unknown2 14%
- Suspension2 14%
- Electrical system1 7.1%
- Lane departure1 7.1%
Also reported: Seat belts (1), Steering (1), Vehicle speed control (1).
Example complaints
Forward collision avoidance: “Was braking with traffic and all of a sudden the emergency braking kicked on and brought the car to a stop from about 40 miles per hour with no immediate threat of collision. Brakes were being applied manually and had plenty of room infront of the vehicle and traffic was not stopped. Nearly caused the vehicle behind to collide into me. Very uncomfortable whiplash feeling experienced and my unsecured belongings in my car went flying.”
NHTSA complaint #11750218, filed 2026-07Transmission and drivetrain: “I parked this hybrid rental vehicle on a steep street facing uphill and remained in the car with it on for about 15 to 30 minutes. When I put the vehicle back in Drive, released the brake pedal, and pressed the gas pedal to drive away, the car quickly free-rolled backwards. There was no throttle response, and I had to quickly brake to stop the car from its quick backwards descent. Multiple attempts to correct the issue, including various combinations of placing the car back in Park and back in Drive, engaging the electronic parking brake, etc., had no effect. …”
NHTSA complaint #11752755, filed 2026-07Air bags: “Component: Air Bags – Knee Airbag / Trim Panel During a collision, on July 3rd with the Mazda CX‑50, the knee airbag deployed and a hard plastic trim panel from the lower dashboard was forcibly ejected. This panel struck my knee and caused a laceration across my kneecap. The injury was not caused by the crash itself but directly by the detached interior component. The trim panel appears to be part of the knee‑airbag assembly and should not detach with enough force or sharpness to cause bodily harm. …”
NHTSA complaint #11749114, filed 2026-07Engine: “I own a brand-new 2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid that is currently under the manufacturer's warranty. I am reporting an intermittent failure of the vehicle to respond normally to a selected driving direction. During the first incident on August 28, 2026, I had shifted the vehicle into Reverse. The vehicle indicated that Reverse was selected, but when I pressed the accelerator, the vehicle did not move or respond as expected. I attempted to change the selected driving direction, but the vehicle was not responding normally to the shift commands.l, again responding as if it were in neutral. …”
NHTSA complaint #11765952, filed 2026-09Mileage when problems were reported
100% of the 1 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 3,506 and 3,506 miles.
Complaints by year filed
This model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2026 Mazda CX-50. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CX-50 · SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | 5 / 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2026 model year: forward collision warning standard, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard.
Neighbouring years: 2025: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2026 Mazda CX-50 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CX-50 4WD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 24 | 30 | 26 | $2,600 |
| CX-50 4WD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 23 | 29 | 25 | $2,700 |
| CX-50 4WD | 2.5L 4-cyl · hybrid | CVT | 39 | 37 | 38 | $1,750 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2026 Mazda CX-50 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 70 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11037896Sep 25, 2026Body and structure. Subject: Notification of Dealer Re-Work (DRW60) – 2026MY CX-50 and CX-50 Hybrid - Rear Door Glass Holder Detach Issue Dear Mazda Dealer Colleagues, Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a…
- 11037632Sep 18, 2026Electrical system. DESCRIPTION Some customers may experience a message "TCU Malfunction. Have the Vehicle Inspected" in the instrument cluster. Additional symptoms that may occur: Connected Vehicle One Time Passcode…
- 11037900Sep 17, 2026Electrical system, Other or unknown. Mazda Connected Services - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SAs listed below. The changes are noted in Red text.
- 11037899Sep 11, 2026Electrical system. DESCRIPTION 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…
- 11037634Sep 10, 2026Electrical system, Other or unknown. This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued service alert listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-038/26 08/18/26 and 06/15/26 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about any…
- 11037018Sep 4, 2026Exterior lighting, Engine, Other or unknown, Electrical…. This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued service alert listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-038/26 06/15/26 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about any of the…
- 11037019Aug 19, 2026Electrical system, Other or unknown. This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued SA(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-039/26 06/15/26 Mazda Connect Symptom Troubleshooting DESCRIPTION Customers having MAZDA…
- 11037011Aug 19, 2026Electrical system, Wheels. This Service Alert supersedes the previously issued bulletin(s) listed below. The changes are noted in Red text. SA-006/23 01/23/23 DESCRIPTION Some customers may complain about the infotainment…
- 11036714Aug 19, 2026Body and structure, Other or unknown. Subject: Notification of Dealer Re-Work (DRW60) – 2026MY CX-50 and CX-50 Hybrid - Rear Door Glass Holder Detach Issue Dear Mazda Dealer Colleagues, Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a…
- 11036716Aug 12, 2026Body and structure. Subject: Notification of Dealer Re-Work (DRW60) – 2026MY CX-50 and CX-50 Hybrid - Rear Door Glass Holder Detach Issue Dear Mazda Dealer Colleagues, Mazda Motor Corporation has decided to conduct a…
Other model years of the Mazda CX-50
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | 3,506 | 0 | 5 | 26 | — | Too new |
| 2025 | 39 | — | 2 | 5 | 28 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2024 | 35 | 8,361 | 1 | 5 | 27 | Too new to compare | Too new |
| 2023 | 64 | 57,000 | 2 | 5 | 27 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Too new |
All Mazda CX-50 model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2026 Mazda CX-50 have?
NHTSA recorded 14 consumer complaints for the 2026 Mazda CX-50 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2026 Mazda CX-50 is reported most often?
Forward collision avoidance is named most often, in 3 complaints (21% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 3.
Has the 2026 Mazda CX-50 been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2026 Mazda CX-50 do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2026 Mazda CX-50 5 out of 5 stars overall. Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.
What gas mileage does the 2026 Mazda CX-50 get?
The EPA rates the 2026 Mazda CX-50 (CX-50 4WD, 2.5L 4-cyl) at 26 mpg combined, 24 city and 30 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2026 Mazda CX-50 reported?
Among the 1 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 3,506 miles and the middle half falls between 3,506 and 3,506 miles; 100% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.