2021 Mazda MAZDA3

Typical pattern

18.5% of complaints about the 2021 Mazda MAZDA3 came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2021 vehicle — around the middle of the 159 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 2.0 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (17 complaints), typically at 1.8 yr.

Complaints: 65
Median age at failure: 2.0 yr
Median mileage: 1,700 n=4
Crash / fire / tow: 9.2% of reports
Safety recalls: 1

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

21V101000 2021-02-22

Tires:valve

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2021 Mazda3 and CX-30 vehicles. Air may suddenly leak from the tire air valve.

A sudden air leak from the tire air valve may cause a loss of vehicle control while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Engine mileage not reported 1.6 yr in service

Low engine oil warning between oil changes. Burned 3+ quarts between 5000 mile and 10,000 mile service.

Engine mileage not reported 1.8 yr in service

Engine is consuming excessive oil. Dealership states there is a TSB out but the fix is to keep topping the oil off. I would like an investigation to determine the root cause of the oil consumption on a new engine.

Engine mileage not reported 1.8 yr in service

Excess oil consumption in engine. Low light came on around 5,000 miles and dipstick showed engine oil was at the minimum mark.

Other MAZDA3 model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2021 Mazda MAZDA3

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other MAZDA3 model years

How to read this