1994 Mazda MPV

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

73/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 1994 Mazda MPV, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Air bags	12	29%
Engine and engine cooling	10	24%
Service brakes	7	17%
Tires	3	7%
Vehicle speed control	3	7%
Power train	2	5%
Service brakes	1	2%
Exterior lighting	1	2%
Air bags	1	2%
Suspension	1	2%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

DEFECTIVE TIRES. STEEL BELTS SPLIT. TIRES READY TO EXPLODE. FUTURA 775 PURCHASED AT PEP BOYS 02/2005. LESS THAN 10,000 MILES DRIVEN ON 55,000 TIRE. SHOWED TIRES TO 4 DIFFERENT AUTO SHOPS AND ASKED IF THIS WAS A NORMA
NHTSA complaint: Tires

I HAD A MVA ON 9/20/03. A VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT OF ME AND I COLLIDED WITH THEIR FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG IN MY VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS DRIVING A MAZDA MPV 1994. MPV TOTALED. MPV FRONT END COL
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE HIT A DEER. UPON IMPACT THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. *AK *NLM
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

THE CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK , AND IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. MR SCC
NHTSA complaint: Air bags

WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WE NOTICED FOR NO APPARENT REASON LIGHTS WOULD COME,TRANSMISSION WENT OUT BEFORE EXPECTED,EVEN WHEN REPLACED BRAKES WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE.AFTER TALKING TO MANY PEOPLE,WE FOUND OUT THA
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes

PEOO 020 ; VEHICLE HAD A FLAT TIRE ON PASSENGER'S REAR SIDE. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO A TIRE PLACE, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THATTWO TIRE TREADS HAD SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS, P215/65R15, DOT W2VFH303
NHTSA complaint: Tires

LIFTERS & ROCKER ARMS REPLACED 3 TIMES - CARBON BUILD UP WAS NEVER FIXED CAUSES ENGINE TO NEED REPLACEMENT. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

I SAW THIS 'SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT' REPORT ON CH. 2 IN LA, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON MY TIRES, THE TREADS ON THE TIRES CAME OFF THE TIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL MAKING A TURN AND MY VAN COULD OF TIPED OVER. I
NHTSA complaint: Tires

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1994 Mazda MPV. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Electrical system:ignition:switch 15V674000

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 1989-1998 MPV, 1990-1995 323, 1990-1998 Protege, 1992-1993 MX-3, 1993-1995 929, 1993-1997 MX-6, and 1993-1998 626 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, grease applied to the contact points inside the ignition switch may become co

Risk: If the ignition switch overheats there would be an increased risk of a fire.

Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mazda Customer Experience Center at 1-800-222-5500,

The seven scores

Reliability raw	83	excellent
Longevity est.	82	excellent
Maintenance	85	excellent
Depreciation	62	average
Performance	56	average
Efficiency	36	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other other in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 35% of other
Longevity: better than 74% of other
Running costs: better than 94% of other
Value retention: better than 53% of other

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 83: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 82: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1994 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 85: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1994 Mazda MPV?

Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 12 of them (29%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1994 Mazda MPV reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 83/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1994 Mazda MPV last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 82/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1994 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1994 Mazda MPV?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 73/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.