2020 Mazda CX-5: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2020 Mazda CX-5
On the 2020 Mazda CX-5, the failure owners report most often is infotainment screen failure, with 33 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 2,500 miles. Overall it scores 75 out of 100, high risk for a 2020.
High risk for a 2020 — 144th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. 153 owner reports; fleet size borrowed from other years of the same model.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 39 named failure modes on the 2020 Mazda CX-5, and the three most-reported carry 33% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Infotainment screen failure leads with 33 reports and about 0.6 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other driver assistance problem follows with 9 reports.
Other brake problem follows with 8 reports, median 200 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into infotainment (39), engine (28) and adas (22).
The mileage the reports cluster at
31 of the reports on the 2020 Mazda CX-5 came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 2,500 miles.
Cumulatively, 90% by 50,000 miles and 97% by 100,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 77% of the dated reports.
90% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 39. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 14 mention a crash and 7 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.08, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: infotainment screen failure at $400–$2,600, other driver assistance problem at $250–$1,800, other brake problem at $300–$1,800 and cruise control failure at $200–$1,400. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
23% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 33 | 1 | — | 80k | — | 0.6 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 8 | 2 | — | 158 | — | 0.2 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 7 | 2 | — | 32k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 7 | 1 | — | 9k | — | 0.1 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Oil leak | engine | 6 | 2 | — | 9k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 6 | 1 | — | 2k | — | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 5 | 2 | — | 6k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 4 | 1 | — | 3k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 4 | 1 | — | 700 | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 3 | 3 | — | 35 | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 412 | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 3 | 3 | — | 3k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 2 | 1 | — | 10k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 2 | 1 | — | 6k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 2 | 1 | — | 7k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Thermostat failure | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 52k | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Parasitic battery drain | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 600 | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 140k | — | 0.0 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Airbag deployed without a crash | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $2,500–$8,000 | Critical |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 27 | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 3k | — | 0.0 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 7 | 1 | — | 4k | — | 0.1 | — | Moderate |
This year had no usable recall paperwork, so the fleet-size estimate is the median of other years of the same model. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2020 Mazda CX-5 draws about 2.9 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 82nd percentile of complaint rates among 2020 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. This year had no usable recall paperwork, so the fleet-size estimate is the median of other years of the same model.
The working figure is 52,444 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2020 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Infotainment screen failure
The contact owns a 2020 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and lost automotive power and failed to exceed 15 MPH. The vehicle failed to return to normal operation. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that the infotainment system was inoperative. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the CPU system needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Other brake problem
Driving in the city in the right hand turn lane. This lane passes 2 places for a right hand turn. The car in front made a right hand turn. Their turn was almost complete when the car made a sudden hard brake. No other car was in front of me. My foot was not on the brake. The car behind almost slammed in the back of me. *tr
Sudden braking caused by automatic braking system. On sept 1, 2020, I was driving down a neighborhood street, going about 30 MPH, and a car in front of me was turning. I was in no danger of hitting the car in front of me; however, my 2020 mazda cx-5 suddenly braked and made a loud noise. Granted, this car was new to me and I hadn't experienced this before, but I was completely surprised given an accident was not imminent. This sudden braking caused my head to swing forward and back resulting in neck, shoulder, and back pain. Also, it resulted in an increased headache. Upon returning home, I turned the sudden braking safety feature off. On sept 4, 2020, I had a video call with my pcp who advised me to go to the urgent care. The urgent care doctor prescribed muscle relaxers and, based on a previous neck condition, ordered a mri and follow-up with neurosurgeon. The extent of the injury is unknown at this time but the urgent care doctor encouraged me to file a safety report.
How it ranks in the 2020 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
High risk for a 2020 — 144th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 14 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2026 comes out best at 67 and 2018 worst at 82, with 2020 itself at 75.
If the model year is negotiable, 2026, 2014, 2024, 2013 and 2015 score lower than 2020 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2017–2021 generation specifically, 2021 is the strongest year at 74 and 2018 the weakest at 82.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2017-2021 generation, 2021 Mazda CX-5 scores best at 74 and 2018 Mazda CX-5 worst at 82.
The limits of complaint data
153 owner reports; fleet size borrowed from other years of the same model. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 153 reports, 31 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 20% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Mazda CX-5?
The most-reported failures are infotainment screen failure (33 reports, median 80,000 miles), other driver assistance problem (9 reports) and other brake problem (8 reports, median 200 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2020 Mazda CX-5 reliable?
It scores 75 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 144th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2020 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Mazda CX-5 is best?
Within the 2017–2021 generation, 2021 scores best at 74 out of 100 and 2018 worst at 82. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed