Are Mazdas Good Cars? Do They Last Long?

In a massive sea of options, it can be nearly impossible to figure out which car brands are right for you. One potential choice is the Japanese brand Mazda. If you’re in the market for a new ride, are Mazdas good cars?

Mazdas are good cars, as they are known for their overall value, reliability, and engaging travel on a budget. They struggle within a few niche categories, such as fuel efficiency, advanced tech, and offroad capability. For their price range and size, however, Mazdas are tough to beat.

In this article, I’ll take you through why experts consider Mazdas great cars. Then, I’ll explain the few downsides attached to them. If you’re looking for an in-depth look at whether you should buy one, read on.

Is Mazda a Reliable Car?

Publications rank Mazda as the most reliable car brand. But why?

Mazda is a reliable car, and in fact, Consumer Reports again listed it in their top spot in their yearly car brand reliability rankings. Five of their vehicles scored an 80 or higher. Earning a score of 85, Consumer Reports placed the Mazda CX-5 in their list of the top-10 most reliable models.

Mazda earns high marks through its conservative technology. Because they’re a smaller brand, Mazda lacks the money to upgrade to cutting-edge equipment consistently.

New technology, however, brings new problems. While Mazda may not have the most advanced transmissions or touch screens, they have proven and stable technology that provides a fun drive.

Let’s now look at the pros and cons of Mazda as a car brand.

Pros of Mazdas

  • Reputable publications consistently rank Mazdas as the best car brand overall. If you want value across the board, look no further than a Mazda.
  • Publications similarly rank Mazdas as the most reliable car brand. They earn this distinction through the use of trusted technology rather than industry trends.
  • Mazda builds cars for safety. They’re built-in with several features that ensure a secure ride.
  • When your vehicle needs repairs, they are easy and relatively cheap to fix.
  • For the price, Mazdas offer a great ride. Mazdas provide a sports car experience for a cheaper price point.
  • On the flipside, Mazdas offer an affordable luxury experience. If you’re looking for a smooth ride without the expense of a top-tier sports car, you can’t go wrong with a Mazda.

Cons of Mazdas

  • While not egregious, Mazdas aren’t exceptionally fuel-efficient. If the gas economy is a priority, you should look elsewhere.
  • Mazdas are generally lower-tech than their competitors. Older models tend to exaggerate this problem.
  • Although suitable for a standard driver, Mazdas are not built for offroad conditions. Muddy offroad treks might prove difficult for a Mazda.

Why You Should Get a Mazda

For a general car buyer, Mazda is a great brand. Let’s take a look at why.

You Want the Best Quality Overall

Are you looking for the best-combined experience on the market? According to the experts, Mazda is the brand for you. Major publications consistently rank Mazda as the best overall car brand.

U.S. News & World Report lists Mazda as the best car brand for 2021. Mazda has now won this award for six years straight.

They also rose to the top of the 2021 rankings from Consumer Reports. While the website annually gave the brand high grades, this year marks the first Mazda ranks first. The website tested seven models and they recommend all of them.

With success across publications, the experts accept Mazdas as excellent overall vehicles.

Your Safety Is a Top Priority

This reliability only bolsters a Mazda’s safety. As such, Mazdas are exceptionally safe.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety lists all Seven 2021 Mazda models as Top Safety Picks +, the institute’s highest safety award. That’s more IIHS Top Safety Picks + than any other manufacturer.

The IIHS notes that they identify vehicles within size categories. While Mazdas rank high within their classes, their smaller size may make them less safe than lower scoring, larger vehicles. Still, for their size, you can’t get much safer than a Mazda.

Current Mazda models use i-ACTIVSENSE. The software utilizes mill wave radars and cameras to alert riders of hazards, avert collisions, and reduce the severity of crashes. They also come installed with passive safety technology. Models include:

  • Seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters
  • Anti-intrusion brake pedals
  • SRS Airbag Systems

If you’re looking for a safe small to medium car or SUV, Mazda could be the brand for you.

You Don’t Want Expensive Parts or Extensive Repairs

Because they’re both reliable and safe, you likely won’t need to take your Mazda to the shop often. Should you need repairs, Mazdas are cheap, easy, and quick to fix.

According to CarMD, Mazdas have the third-lowest average repair cost at $339 per year. They also list Mazda as the brand’s sixth least likely to have a check engine light problem, which is one of four brands to rank in the top ten in both categories.

Are Mazdas Expensive to Maintain?

Mazdas are not expensive to maintain. An oil change will cost you around $30. Because of the smaller size of Mazda as a company, the low cost of these parts is even more impressive.  

Regardless of if you hate the mechanic or want the cheap parts for your own adjustments, Mazdas are a great choice.

You Want a Great Ride

Mazda has a reputation for a high-quality drive, and rightfully so.

J.D. Power awarded Mazda their Performance Award, given to models with the highest owner ratings for design and performance after the first 90 days of ownership. Mazda has won the award three additional times in the past.

Reviewers agree that the Mazda CX-5 signature is leagues above cars such as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V in terms of acceleration and muffling noise.

You Can’t Afford a Luxury Price Point

Mazdas offer this great ride experience without the exorbitant price. The MSRP of a 2021 Mazda CR-X runs as low as $20,000. Compare that to the $25,000 starting MSRP of a Honda CR-V, and that’s quite a bargain.

Why Is Mazda Not Popular?

While we recommend Mazda to your average consumer, the brand might turn off certain buyers.

Mazda is not popular because they don’t have great fuel efficiency, nor are they good for offroading adventures. They also contain very basic infotainment technology that turns people off of these cars. However, they are reliable, but this fact is not enough for many people.

Let’s see who should look elsewhere, and why.

You Need Exceptional Fuel Efficiency

If you want to save as much money as possible on gas, Mazda likely isn’t the car for you, as they have somewhat competitive fuel economy rates.

Additionally, Mazda struggles with electric models and has only recently begun to dabble into electric car manufacturing, starting with the niche Mazda MX-30.

Again, the results have been mediocre. While reviewers have found occasional strengths, many note that the MX-30’s price point is expensive considering its competition. When one of Mazda’s primary selling points is their price, this charge is a deal-breaker.

Whether you want a standard or electric vehicle, you could do better than Mazda for an efficient ride.

You Want the Newest in Infotainment

Earlier, we discussed how Mazdas are reliable thanks to their conservative tech. On the other side of that coin, you will not find an expansive interface in a Mazda. They utilize the Mazda Connect system.

On their website, Mazda advertises the system as a “human-centric design that minimizes distraction.” “Human-centric” translates to “dated.”

Mazda vehicles still use button controls, as opposed to touch screen support found in many newer models.

They also only recently incorporated Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the first Mazda model to integrate the two was the 2018 Mazda 6.

Mazda has offered to upgrade functionality in models from 2014 and newer. However, it’s still far more straightforward for buyers to buy a car with installed functionality.

You Live for the Offroad

If you’re looking to offroad, steer clear of Mazda models.

Mazdas can handle most types of terrain. The New England Motor Press Association even awarded the Mazda CX-5 Best in Class Compact SUV in its annual Winter Vehicle of the Year Awards. For concrete, gravel, and snowy roads, a Mazda drives like a dream.

They don’t have the tools for more intense off-road experiences and lack the ride height or underbody protection to handle obstacles like streams and deep mud. A Mazda will tackle pretty much anywhere your GPS may take you.

If you want to go beyond that, you should look elsewhere.

Conclusion

Generally, Mazdas are excellent cars. They perform well, are incredibly reliable, and provide a solid bang for your buck. Mazdas are tough to beat as an overall package.

That said, Mazda fails to meet particular niches that may be deal-breakers for some. If you want a car with elite miles per gallon, a futuristic interface, or the durability to offroad, you should look elsewhere.

Related post: What Is the Best Car for a Large Person?

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