What are the most common problems with the 2020 Mazda CX-9?

Engine complaints lead the list, followed by the electrical system. See the problems section for what owners describe.

Has the 2020 Mazda CX-9 been recalled?

Yes, the by-year facts show a recall for this model year. The Recalls section on this page lists it.

How reliable is the 2020 Mazda CX-9?

NHTSA has 19 owner complaints on file. Engine and electrical reports are the largest groups.

What is the gas mileage of the 2020 Mazda CX-9?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Which year of the Mazda CX-9 is best?

The by-year comparison on this page shows complaints and recalls for each year. Use it to compare.

2020 Mazda CX-9 Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 19 owner complaints on file for this Mazda^[1]. The engine group is named most often, with 5 complaints^[2].

19owner complaints^[1]

1recalls^[3]

23–24MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name, biggest first.

Engine. 5 complaints^[2]. Owners describe overheating warnings and coolant loss, a car that cuts power while driving, and one report of the engine speeding up on its own while slowing for a light.
Electrical System. 4 complaints^[6]. In the stories we read, owners describe the car losing power on the road, warning lights and messages about the brake and radar systems, and an information screen that cracks and turns cloudy.
Unknown Or Other. 3 complaints^[7]. These do not point to one part, so we say no more about them.
Fuel/Propulsion System. 3 complaints^[8]. Owners describe stalling, rough running and fuel system trouble that came back after repairs.
Power Train. 2 complaints^[9]. We have little detail to share here.
Forward Collision Avoidance. 2 complaints^[10]. Owners describe the automatic braking system acting when it should not, along with radar warning messages.
Brakes. 2 complaints^[11]. We have little detail to share here.
Structure. 1 complaint^[12]. We have little detail to share here.

These are unverified reports sent to NHTSA, and one complaint can name more than one part^[1].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2020 CX-9 is necessarily included.

Seats › Mid/Rear Assembly (21V750), September 2021. About 8,648 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
CX-9 2WD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	22 / 28 / 24	$2,800
CX-9 4WD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, 4-Wheel Drive^[14]	20 / 26 / 23	$2,900

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[5]	5	4	5	4	15.9%
SUV FWD^[15]	5	4	5	4	15.1%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2020 Mazda CX-9 with 2.5L 4-cylinder^[16]	227 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
CX-9 4DR SUV AWD^[17]	200 in	78 in	68 in	115 in	4,387 lb

How 2020 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each CX-9 model year. The 2020 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2007	86	5
2008	172	5
2009	59	6
2010	195	6
2011	170	4
2012	221	4
2013	68	4
2014	54	3
2015	35	2
2016	107	0
2017	61	0
2018	128	2
2019	53	2
2020	19	1
2021	40	1
2022	11	0
2023	13	0

NHTSA's counts for the CX-9 show 19 complaints and 1 recalls for 2020^[3]. Among the 17 model years listed, 2 have fewer complaints than 2020 and 14 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2022 (11) and the most are for 2012 (221)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2020 CX-9?

The 2020 CX-9 has a modest complaint record on file^[1]. Engine and electrical reports lead the list, so those are worth a close look on a test drive^[2]^[6]. Owners also describe warning messages tied to the braking and radar systems^[10]. Counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a guide and not a score. A recall exists for this year, and the Recalls section lists it^[3].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Mazda CX-9?: Engine complaints lead the list, followed by the electrical system^[2]^[6]. See the problems section for what owners describe.
Has the 2020 Mazda CX-9 been recalled?: Yes, the by-year facts show a recall for this model year^[3]. The Recalls section on this page lists it.
How reliable is the 2020 Mazda CX-9?: NHTSA has 19 owner complaints on file^[1]. Engine and electrical reports are the largest groups^[2]^[6].
What is the gas mileage of the 2020 Mazda CX-9?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Which year of the Mazda CX-9 is best?: The by-year comparison on this page shows complaints and recalls for each year^[3]. Use it to compare.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Mazda CX-9

2010 195 complaints, 6 recalls
2011 170 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 221 complaints, 4 recalls
2013 68 complaints, 4 recalls
2014 54 complaints, 3 recalls
2015 35 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 107 complaints, 0 recalls
2018 128 complaints, 2 recalls
2019 53 complaints, 2 recalls
2020 this page
2021 40 complaints, 1 recall
2022 11 complaints, 0 recalls
2023 13 complaints, 0 recalls

Compare all model years of the Mazda CX-9

All Mazda models

Similar cars from 2020: small suvs

2020 Lincoln Corsair 61 complaints, 16 recalls
2020 Mitsubishi Outlander 57 complaints, 4 recalls
2020 Nissan Pathfinder 48 complaints, 0 recalls
2020 Nissan Rogue 152 complaints, 1 recall
2020 Volkswagen Tiguan 141 complaints, 3 recalls
2020 Acura MDX 229 complaints, 8 recalls

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 19 owner complaints on file for the 2020 Mazda CX-9 (1 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Mazda CX-9 model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for CX-9 2WD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 28 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
3 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the forward collision avoidance component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the brakes component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the structure component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 21V750, filed September 27, 2021: Seats › Mid / Rear Assembly. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for CX-9 4WD, 2.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, 4-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 26 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 4 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 15.1%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2020 Mazda CX-9 with 2.5L 4-cylinder: rated 227 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CX-9 4DR SUV AWD: length 200 in, width 78 in, height 68 in, wheelbase 115 in, curb weight 4,387 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2020 Mazda CX-9: problems, recalls and fuel economy