UsedScore

2020 Mazda CX-5: Solid

Owners filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Mazda CX-5 in its first five years on the road, about 39 for every 100,000 sold: 0.7× the rate of a typical CX-5 year. That's close to a typical year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the brakes (19% of complaints).

Complaint index
0.7×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical CX-5 year
Rank
2nd of 9
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
58
first five years; 39 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
0
campaigns
2nd generation, 2017–2025 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2019 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve

Photo: 2019 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve · HJUdall, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Brakes19% · 11 complaints
  2. Electrical24% · 14 complaints · median 2,000 miles
  3. Speed control5% · 3 complaints
  4. Engine16% · 9 complaints
  5. Driver assistance14% · 8 complaints
  6. Air bags3% · 2 complaints
  7. Fuel and propulsion3% · 2 complaints
  8. Lights5% · 3 complaints
  9. Body and structure9% · 5 complaints
  10. Powertrain3% · 2 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Brakes

Owners describe a range of brake-related issues in this model, from smart brake support triggering suddenly and harshly to pedals that don't respond or parking brakes that stay engaged. Some describe accidents or collisions they attribute to these braking events, along with frustrating or inconclusive dealer visits.

Warning signs:
Owners report warning lights (brake system, power steering, camera malfunction), grinding or creaking noises, loud noises, dashboard alerts, and lights that stay on.
What shops did:
Some owners report dealers inspected the vehicle without a diagnosis, replaced rotors/calipers, or that the problem could not be resolved or reappeared after service.

“the car suddenly slammed on the brakes, beeped warning beeps, and displayed BRAKE on the dash”

“My car is making grinding and creaking noises when I back up, stop or get into it.”

Electrical

Many owners of this CX-5 describe the touchscreen acting on its own—jumping screens, blasting volume, or dialing calls—while driving, which they say is startling and distracting. Some owners also report battery drain, no-start problems, or sudden loss of power, with dealers sometimes unable to fully fix these issues.

Warning signs:
Owners describe screens jumping between menus, volume suddenly blasting to maximum, unexpected calls being placed, warning lights illuminating, and flickering dashboard or tail lights.
What shops did:
Dealers often updated software, reset or replaced the infotainment display or CMU, replaced batteries, or in some cases could not duplicate or resolve the problem.
Mileage:
most between 0 and 5,000 miles, among 7 complaints that give it

“The ghost touch will end my navigation, end my calls or put them on hold, call random people in my contacts, turns on/off the music, changes the volume”

“I was driving down a dark road when it went black, the screen had adjusted its brightness down to zero!”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2020 Mazda CX-5.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Mazda sent NHTSA 447 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2020 CX-5. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • SSPD8 Dlr Ltr a · March 2026 · Warranty extensionSubject: TSB 01-001/26 Warranty and Parts Kit Update INCLUDES: Warranty Extension Program - Special Service Program (SSP) D8 Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00, 2018-2025 CX-5, 2019-2023 Mazda3,…
  • SSPD8 Repair d · March 2026 · Warranty extensionSubject: TSB 01-001/26 Warranty and Parts Kit Update INCLUDES: Warranty Extension Program - Special Service Program (SSP) D8 Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00, 2018-2025 CX-5, 2019-2023 Mazda3,…
  • SSPD8 Repair c · February 2026 · Warranty extensionSSPD8 - Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00 - WARRANTY EXTENSION For certain 2018-2025MY CX-5, 2019-2023MY Mazda3, 2019-2022MY CX-3, 2018-2021MY Mazda6, 2020-2023MY CX-30 that are equipped with…
  • SSPD8 Parts and Warr a · January 2026 · Warranty extensionSSPD8 - Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00 - WARRANTY EXTENSION For certain 2018-2025MY CX-5, 2019-2023MY Mazda3, 2019-2022MY CX-3, 2018-2021MY Mazda6, 2020-2023MY CX-30 that are equipped with…
  • SSPD8 Repair b · January 2026 · Warranty extensionSSPD8 - Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00 - WARRANTY EXTENSION For certain 2018-2025MY CX-5, 2019-2023MY Mazda3, 2019-2022MY CX-3, 2018-2021MY Mazda6, 2020-2023MY CX-30 that are equipped with…
  • SSPD8a Repair · December 2025 · Warranty extensionSSPD8 - Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00 - WARRANTY EXTENSION For certain 2018-2025MY CX-5, 2019-2023MY Mazda3, 2019-2022MY CX-3, 2018-2021MY Mazda6, 2020-2023MY CX-30 that are equipped with…
  • SSPD8 Dlr Ltr · December 2025 · Warranty extensionSSPD8 - Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00 - WARRANTY EXTENSION For certain 2018-2025MY CX-5, 2019-2023MY Mazda3, 2019-2022MY CX-3, 2018-2021MY Mazda6, 2020-2023MY CX-30 that are equipped with…
  • SSPD8 Parts and Warr · December 2025 · Warranty extensionSSPD8 - Check Engine Light ON with DTC P0126:00 - WARRANTY EXTENSION For certain 2018-2025MY CX-5, 2019-2023MY Mazda3, 2019-2022MY CX-3, 2018-2021MY Mazda6, 2020-2023MY CX-30 that are equipped with…

All 2020 CX-5 bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2020 Mazda CX-5 reliable?
Owners filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Mazda CX-5 in its first five years on the road, about 39 for every 100,000 sold: 0.7× the rate of a typical CX-5 year. That's close to a typical year. Ratings compare CX-5 years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2020 CX-5 problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the brakes (19%), the electrical system (24%) and speed control (5%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2020 Mazda CX-5 been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2020 Mazda CX-5.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Mazda. The 2020 Mazda CX-5 on NHTSA.gov · How we rate