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2023 Mazda MX-5

Gas
Two Seaters
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
A
Safety Signal
97 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns1
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA7
Crash ratingNHTSA overall—
Fuel economybest combined, EPA30 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2023 Mazda MX-5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas sports car with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the MX-5, is EPA-rated at 30 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 7 complaints, most often about the power train.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
MX-5GasRWD2.0L 4-cyl263530$2,600
MX-5GasRWD2.0L 4-cyl263429$2,650

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 46334, 46333.

Factory warranty running out?

The 2023 Mazda MX-5 is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database
○minor

Air Bags

6924I
77,670 vehicles
ProblemMazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2016-2023 MX-5 Miata vehicles. A software error in the air bag control module may cause the front air bags to deploy with excessive force during a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."RiskAn air bag that deploys with excessive force can increase the risk of injury during a crash.FixDealers will update the Sophisticated Air Bag Sensor (SAS) control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2024. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 6924I.
NHTSA campaign 24V695000reported Sep 18, 2024Mazda North American Operations

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
7complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2024: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Power Train4
Unspecified1
Seat Belts1
Air Bags1
Steering1

What owners describe

“Steering feels sticky at higher speeds, once the vehicle is at full operating temp. The steering requires some pressure to “break freeâ€� from whatever position it is in. If I’m continually moving the wheel, it steers normally. However, if I’m driving straight and need to initiate a turn or make minor steering co…”Apr 1, 2026 · Steering · NHTSA owner report
“Manual transmission will not reliably shift from 2nd to 3rd gear without a grinding noise. Other owners are reporting similar issues that have required a full replacement of the transmission in MY2023 cars.”Sep 22, 2025 · Power Train · NHTSA owner report
“On [XXX] my [XXX] son was driving the vehicle and at low speed (30 mph or under) lost control of the vehicle in a turn. The vehicle hit a telephone pole that was rotted from termite infestation which shattered into three pieces (one piece landing on the cars windshield frame and driver roll bar hoop) . He impacted the …”Jun 6, 2025 · Air Bags · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Other MX-5 model years

A

2026 Mazda MX-5

0 recalls · 1 complaints

A

2025 Mazda MX-5

1 recalls · 3 complaints

A

2024 Mazda MX-5

1 recalls · 5 complaints

A

2022 Mazda MX-5

1 recalls · 5 complaints

A

2021 Mazda MX-5

1 recalls · 1 complaints

A

2020 Mazda MX-5

1 recalls · 3 complaints

B

2019 Mazda MX-5

3 recalls · 11 complaints

B

2018 Mazda MX-5

3 recalls · 3 complaints

B

2017 Mazda MX-5

2 recalls · 11 complaints

B

2016 Mazda MX-5

3 recalls · 34 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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