Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 126 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Mazda CX-9, and it carries 2 recalls. 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.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 58 | 46% |
| Unknown or other | 11 | 9% |
| Power train | 8 | 6% |
| Electrical system | 6 | 5% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 3% |
| Power train | 3 | 2% |
| Engine | 3 | 2% |
| Seats | 2 | 2% |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I was driving home from work and may car started overheating out of nowhere. I was stuck in traffic and white smoke was exiting my exhaust. I pulled over and all of my coolant leaked out of my car. Took it the shop and t
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The cylinder head on this 2018 Mazda CX-9 (Skyactiv-G 2.5T engine) cracked, allowing engine coolant to leak and intermix with engine oil, causing loss of coolant and catastrophic engine failure. The vehicle became undriv
NHTSA complaint: Engine
My passenger heated seats malfunction while I was driving. As I was driving on the highway I smelled something burning. I didn't know where the smell was coming from it was strong . Then while I'm driving on the highway
NHTSA complaint: Seats
My wife was driving the vehicle when the emergency lights started going off. She had to pull over because the car wouldn't run and said it was overheated. All the maintenance has been done to the car. We took it to the d
NHTSA complaint: Engine
My 2018 Mazda CX-9 with the SKYACTIV-G 2.5T engine has been diagnosed with a cracked cylinder head, cracked exhaust manifold, and cracked turbocharger at approximately 88,000 miles. This is a known design defect document
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The liftgate (trunk) opens sporadically. The system keeps trying to open the truck and it's causing a parasitic drain on my battery. I was stranded 2 hours from my home due to this. My trunk would sporadically beep three
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
My 2018 Mazda CX-9 experienced catastrophic engine damage after a radiator failure allowed coolant to enter the engine. The vehicle provided no dashboard warning, overheating alert, or coolant warning before the failure
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The adjustable rails holding the rear left seat in place no longer latch. It is available for inspection. This is the most common place for a car seat in this car. In the event of a crash the seat would slide forward. Th
NHTSA complaint: Seats
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Mazda CX-9. 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.
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure may cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for t
Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 CX-9 vehicles. The wiring harness may disrupt electrical communications and disable the passenger frontal air bag, turn signals, and/or engine starting system.
Risk: The passenger frontal air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury. Inoperable turn signals prevent the driver from signaling to other drivers, increasing the risk of crash.
Fix: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda'
| Reliability raw | 82 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 78 | good |
| Maintenance | 80 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 80 | excellent |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 42 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 126 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 58 of them (46%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (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.
AVOIR scores its longevity 78/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2018 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 77/100. 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.