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Mazda MX-5 III problems (2005–2015)

The only engine of the Mazda MX-5 III that we have documented, the MZR gasolina, has high or critical severity faults in the versions it is fitted to. Our verdict for the versions it is fitted to: «Buy».[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Outside the engine: Beyond the engine, the MX-5 NC has no recalls we could attribute to it; the documented weak points are the brakes (seized calipers), the suspension, and rust and leaks from the soft top, with 11.8% major failures at DEKRA against 12.9% for coupés.[7][8][9][10]

Mazda MX-5 III (2005–2015)
Photo: OSX · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons. Reference image for this generation.
02468107.2out of 10

Mazda MX-5 III rating: acceptable reliability

Calculated using only 6 documented faults and their sources: the most serious and frequent faults weigh more. How it is calculated

  • Engine6.63 faults
  • Gearbox10.0No documented faults
  • Suspension9.21 fault
  • Brakes8.31 fault
  • Tyres and wheels10.0No documented faults
  • Steering9.60 faults
  • Electrical system10.0No documented faults
  • Headlights and lights8.40 faults
  • Electronics and infotainment10.0No documented faults
  • Climate control10.0No documented faults
  • Bodywork and interior8.61 fault
  • Airbags and safety10.0No documented faults

Ranked 1 of 90 among the compact cars with solid evidence. See the ranking

The weak points of the Mazda MX-5 III

  1. 1Critical severity: Big-end bearing damage in the 2.3 MZR, with isolated cases in the 1.8 and 2.0MZR gasolina engine
  2. 2Medium severity: Seized calipers and worn discs and brake padsBrakes
  3. 3Medium severity: Blocked soft-top drains and rust on the sills and rear wingsBodywork and interior
  4. 4Low severity: Oil consumption in the 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0 MZR at high mileageMZR gasolina engine
  5. 5Low severity: Misfires from spark plugs and ignition coils in petrol MZR enginesMZR gasolina engine

Documented engine

The first label is the most serious fault affecting that engine in this car; the second, our verdict for the versions it is fitted to. Each engine's risk index is calculated only from the faults that affect this car (how we calculate it). We only show engines we have documented with sources: if yours does not appear, we have not analysed it yet. View all engines

See what to check before buying

Outside the engine

13 sourcesHow we work

MZR gasolina

Mazda MZR de gasolina atmosférico (series Z and L: 1.3 a 2.5) · Petrol

In the MX-5 III
2005–2015[11][12]
Names
MX-5 1.8 (126 CV) · MX-5 2.0 (160 CV)
Faults that affect it
3 · 1 of high or critical severity
Risk index on this car
34
Moderate risk

Verdict for the versions it uses

  • 1.8 MZR 116-126 hp (L8-DE, 2002-2015)2002–2015 · 116–126 hp · L8-DE, L8-VE

    Buy

    Gebrauchtwagenberater.de rates the petrol engines of the Mazda6 GG as reliable, the 1.8 among them; fiches-auto.fr records one case of a blown engine among 16 testimonials for the 1.8 of the Mazda6 GG, and a thermostat and a lambda sensor beyond 160,000 km in two testimonials for the GH. There is no data of its own for the Mazda5 and the MX-5 with this engine; the teaser of the auto motor und sport article (paywalled) only says that the MX-5 NC is not very problematic as a used car, without naming the engine.[1][2][3][4]

  • 2.0 MZR 140-160 hp (LF-DE, LF-VE, 2003-2015)2003–2015 · 140–160 hp · LF-DE, LF-VE

    Buy

    Gebrauchtwagenberater.de considers the petrol engines of the Mazda3 and Mazda6 reliable and attributes no faults specific to the 2.0; fiches-auto.fr adds isolated cases of oil consumption (3 among 17 testimonials in the Mazda3 BK and 2 among 19 in the Mazda6 GG) and of sensors, and a damaged big-end bearing at around 50,000 km.[1][2][5][6]

Faults that affect the MX-5 III

Only those that affect the versions and years that this car used. The MZR gasolina has 4 documented faults in total.

  1. Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalCylinder head and blockBig-end bearing damage in the 2.3 MZR, with isolated cases in the 1.8 and 2.0Gebrauchtwagenberater.de cites big-end bearing damage as a known weak point of the 2.3 MZR of the Mazda6 GG, and fiches-auto.fr adds two isolated cases: a Mazda6 1.8 with a blown engine and a Mazda3 2.0 with a damaged big-end bearing at around 50,000 km.
  2. Low severityFrequency: OccasionalLubricationOil consumption in the 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0 MZR at high mileageIn the smaller petrol MZR engines, oil use appears mainly at high mileage: gebrauchtwagenberater.de places it in the Mazda2 DE from around 150,000-200,000 km, and fiches-auto.fr records isolated cases in the 2.0 of the Mazda3 and Mazda6 and in the 1.3 of the Mazda2.Appears at around 150,000 km
  3. Low severityFrequency: OccasionalIgnitionMisfires from spark plugs and ignition coils in petrol MZR enginesSpark plugs appear among the fault points of the Mazda2 DE in the ADAC statistics cited by gebrauchtwagenberater.de, and fiches-auto.fr attributes the misfires of the Mazda3 1.6 to coils, spark plugs or sensors.

MX-5 III MZR gasolina pageAll versions and faults of the MZR gasolina

Faults of the Mazda MX-5 III outside the engine

Suspension, brakes, tyres, electronics and the rest of the car. They occur with any engine.

What the MOT inspection finds on the Mazda MX-5 III

Official Dutch MOT (APK) inspection data: 4,317 inspections of 1,500 cars registered between 2005 and 2014, compared with cars of the same age.

  • Suspension and axles· counts in the score

    Defects in 2.4% of inspections; in cars of its age, 8%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Brakes· counts in the score

    Defects in 6.4% of inspections; in cars of its age, 8.5%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Steering· counts in the score

    Defects in 0.2% of inspections; in cars of its age, 3%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Headlights and lights· counts in the score

    Defects in 15% of inspections; in cars of its age, 24.4%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Rust and bodywork· counts in the score

    Defects in 0.4% of inspections; in cars of its age, 0.9%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Exhaust and emissions

    Defects in 1% of inspections; in cars of its age, 4.1%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Fluid leaks

    Defects in 1.3% of inspections; in cars of its age, 6.9%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Glass, wipers and mirrors

    Defects in 4.8% of inspections; in cars of its age, 5.3%.

    Average

  • Tyres and wheels· depends mostly on maintenance

    Defects in 9.9% of inspections; in cars of its age, 17.5%.

    Fewer defects than average

The inspection measures wear and the defects visible at a periodic check, not engine or electronics failures. Source: RDW Open Data (public domain). How we calculate it · opendata.rdw.nl

Checklist for buying a used Mazda MX-5 III

Check the advert or the paperwork to see which engine the car has and go through its section. Each point comes from a documented fault; you can tick them off as you inspect.

If it has the MZR gasolina (2005–2015)

Big-end bearing damage in the 2.3 MZR, with isolated cases in the 1.8 and 2.0

Critical severity

Oil consumption in the 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0 MZR at high mileage

Low severity

Misfires from spark plugs and ignition coils in petrol MZR engines

Low severity

Buying a Mazda MX-5 III?

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Own a Mazda MX-5 III? Tell us what faults you have had, at what mileage and how much you paid. Report your fault.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Mazda MX-5 III reliable?

The only engine of the Mazda MX-5 III that we have documented, the MZR gasolina, has high or critical severity faults in the versions it is fitted to. Our verdict for the versions it is fitted to: «Buy». Beyond the engine, the MX-5 NC has no recalls we could attribute to it; the documented weak points are the brakes (seized calipers), the suspension, and rust and leaks from the soft top, with 11.8% major failures at DEKRA against 12.9% for coupés.

What problems does the Mazda MX-5 III have apart from the engine?

Beyond the engine, the MX-5 NC has no recalls we could attribute to it; the documented weak points are the brakes (seized calipers), the suspension, and rust and leaks from the soft top, with 11.8% major failures at DEKRA against 12.9% for coupés. The most important documented faults are: seized calipers and worn discs and brake pads (brakes, medium severity), blocked soft-top drains and rust on the sills and rear wings (bodywork and interior, medium severity) and leaking rear shock absorbers, worn drop links and anti-roll bars (suspension, low severity).[7][8][9][10]

What faults does the Mazda MX-5 III have?

The most important by severity and frequency, on the engines we have documented, are: big-end bearing damage in the 2.3 MZR, with isolated cases in the 1.8 and 2.0 (MZR gasolina, critical severity), oil consumption in the 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0 MZR at high mileage (MZR gasolina, low severity) and misfires from spark plugs and ignition coils in petrol MZR engines (MZR gasolina, low severity).

Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

  1. Mazda 6 I: Bekannte Probleme und SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published 8 August 2025 · consulted 8 October 2026 · in German
  2. Fiabilité Mazda 6 (2002-2008)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
  3. Fiabilité Mazda 6 (2008-2013)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
  4. Gebrauchtwagencheck Mazda MX-5 NCauto motor und sport · Motoring press · published 14 January 2023 · consulted 8 October 2026 · in German
  5. Mazda 3 I (2003 – 2009) – Typische Probleme & SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published 3 December 2022 · consulted 8 October 2026 · in German
  6. Fiabilité Mazda 3 (2003-2009)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 8 October 2026 · in French
  7. Mazda: sus coches más y menos fiablesAutofácil · Motoring press · published 14 March 2016 · consulted 29 October 2026 · in Spanish
  8. What are the most common problems with the Mazda MX-5?Breakerlink (desguace online, Reino Unido) · Other source · consulted 29 October 2026
  9. The Mark 3 - is it really as bad as people say?Foro MX-5 Owners Club (Reino Unido) · Owners' forum · published 26 February 2019 · consulted 29 October 2026
  10. Mazda MX-5: llamadas a revisión (Safety Gate UE)car-recalls.eu · Official body · consulted 30 October 2026
  11. Mazda MX-5 (NC)Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 8 October 2026
  12. Mazda MX-5: Gebrauchtwagen kaufenAUTO ZEITUNG · Motoring press · published 20 June 2018 · consulted 8 October 2026 · in German
  13. Mazda 2 II (DE): Typische Mängel & KrankheitenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · published 28 September 2025 · consulted 8 October 2026 · in German