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Mazda MX-5 IV problems (2015–today)

The only engine of the Mazda MX-5 IV that we have documented, the Skyactiv-G, has no 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]

Outside the engine: Away from the engine, the sources we have been able to open show no chronic suspension, brake or bodywork faults on the Mazda MX-5 ND: what is documented is one-off recalls (automatic gearbox, underbody panel for a few weeks in 2015, DC/DC converter, reversing warning and DSC warning light in 2023-2025). We have found no reliability studies or owner reports for this generation.[6][7][8][9][10][11]

Mazda MX-5 IV (2015–today)
Photo: EurovisionNim · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Reference image for this generation.
02468106.8out of 10

Mazda MX-5 IV rating: acceptable reliability

Calculated using only 10 documented faults and their sources: the most serious and frequent faults weigh more. How it is calculated

  • Engine7.55 faults
  • Gearbox7.11 fault
  • Suspension8.80 faults
  • Brakes7.90 faults
  • Tyres and wheels10.0No documented faults
  • Steering8.70 faults
  • Electrical system7.11 fault
  • Headlights and lights8.50 faults
  • Electronics and infotainment8.61 fault
  • Climate control10.0No documented faults
  • Bodywork and interior8.21 fault
  • Airbags and safety8.61 fault

Ranked 12 of 98 among the saloons with solid evidence. See the ranking

The weak points of the Mazda MX-5 IV

  1. 1Critical severity: Unintended downshift of the automatic gearbox caused by a transmission control unit software faultGearbox and clutch
  2. 2Critical severity: DC/DC converter control unit fault with risk of short circuit and fireElectrical system
  3. 3Medium severity: Intake shut-off valve software issue and engine stallingSkyactiv-G engine
  4. 4Medium severity: Micro-cracks in the fuel pump impellerSkyactiv-G engine
  5. 5Medium severity: ECU programming and loss of power (CX-5 II and Mazda3 IV)Skyactiv-G 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

5 recalls and campaigns documented, the latest: Mazda MX-5: TCS/DSC warning light may not illuminate. See the campaigns for the Mazda MX-5 IV

13 sourcesHow we work

Skyactiv-G

Mazda Skyactiv-G 1.5/2.0/2.5 (P5-VPS, PE-VPS, PY-VPS) · Petrol

In the MX-5 IV
since 2015[12][13]
Names
1.5 Skyactiv-G · 2.0 Skyactiv-G
Faults that affect it
5
Risk index on this car
25
Moderate risk

Verdict for the versions it uses

  • 2.0 Skyactiv-G (PE-VPS)since 2012 · 155 hp · PE-VPS

    Buy

    According to the sources consulted, the Mazda6, CX-30, CX-3 and both generations of the CX-5 have no relevant engine fault pattern with this block; the ECU and fuel pump software of the CX-5 II and Mazda3 BP was corrected through manufacturer campaigns.[1][2][3]

  • 1.5 Skyactiv-G (P5-VPS)since 2014 · 75–115 hp · P5-VPS, P5-VP

    Buy

    gebrauchtwagenberater.de documents no relevant engine failures on the Mazda2 or Mazda3 with this engine; the occasional oil consumption on the Mazda3 BM/BN is the only point to watch.[4][5]

Faults that affect the MX-5 IV

  1. Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalElectronicsIntake shut-off valve software issue and engine stallingOn Mazda3 BM/BN units built up to 4 July 2018, incorrect ECU programming can deposit soot on the intake shut-off valve to the point of suddenly stalling the engine; Mazda fixed it with a software update.
  2. Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalFuelMicro-cracks in the fuel pump impellerBetween October 2017 and May 2020, Mazda built Mazda3 and CX-5 units with a fuel pump whose impeller can crack, swell and end up cutting off the fuel supply with the engine running; the manufacturer recalled the affected cars.
  3. Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalElectronicsECU programming and loss of power (CX-5 II and Mazda3 IV)On the CX-5 II built between 2017 and 2019, and the 2019 Mazda3 IV, incorrect engine ECU programming can cause loss of power or the engine to stall; Mazda fixes it with a software update acknowledged by Germany's KBA.
  4. Low severityFrequency: CommonIntakeCarbon build-up in the intake manifold and injectorsLike almost any direct-injection petrol engine, the Skyactiv-G accumulates carbon on the intake valves over the miles and can foul the injectors, with loss of power and a rough idle; gebrauchtwagenberater.de documents it on the Mazda2, Mazda3, CX-3, CX-30 and CX-5.
  5. Low severityFrequency: OccasionalLubricationHigher-than-normal oil consumptionSome Mazda3 BM/BN with the Skyactiv-G engine use more oil than expected between changes; the manufacturer itself considers up to 0.8 litres per 1,000 km normal, but gebrauchtwagenberater.de recommends not ignoring higher figures and checking the level regularly.

MX-5 IV Skyactiv-G pageAll versions and faults of the Skyactiv-G

Faults of the Mazda MX-5 IV 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 IV

Official Dutch MOT (APK) inspection data: 1,498 inspections of 923 cars registered between 2016 and 2022, compared with cars of the same age.

  • Suspension and axles· counts in the score

    Defects in 0.5% of inspections; in cars of its age, 1.9%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Brakes· counts in the score

    Defects in 2.1% of inspections; in cars of its age, 2.6%.

    Average

  • Steering· counts in the score

    Defects in 0.1% of inspections; in cars of its age, 0.8%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Headlights and lights· counts in the score

    Defects in 6% of inspections; in cars of its age, 10.6%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Rust and bodywork· counts in the score

    Defects in 0% of inspections; in cars of its age, 0.1%.

    Average

  • Exhaust and emissions

    Defects in 0.1% of inspections; in cars of its age, 0.8%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Fluid leaks

    Defects in 0.1% of inspections; in cars of its age, 0.7%.

    Fewer defects than average

  • Glass, wipers and mirrors

    Defects in 3% of inspections; in cars of its age, 3.5%.

    Average

  • Tyres and wheels· depends mostly on maintenance

    Defects in 6.9% of inspections; in cars of its age, 14.6%.

    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 IV

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 Skyactiv-G (since 2015)

Intake shut-off valve software issue and engine stalling

Medium severity

Micro-cracks in the fuel pump impeller

Medium severity

ECU programming and loss of power (CX-5 II and Mazda3 IV)

Medium severity

Carbon build-up in the intake manifold and injectors

Low severity

Higher-than-normal oil consumption

Low severity

Buying a Mazda MX-5 IV?

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Own a Mazda MX-5 IV? 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 IV reliable?

The only engine of the Mazda MX-5 IV that we have documented, the Skyactiv-G, has no high or critical severity faults in the versions it is fitted to. Our verdict for the versions it is fitted to: «Buy». Away from the engine, the sources we have been able to open show no chronic suspension, brake or bodywork faults on the Mazda MX-5 ND: what is documented is one-off recalls (automatic gearbox, underbody panel for a few weeks in 2015, DC/DC converter, reversing warning and DSC warning light in 2023-2025). We have found no reliability studies or owner reports for this generation.

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

Away from the engine, the sources we have been able to open show no chronic suspension, brake or bodywork faults on the Mazda MX-5 ND: what is documented is one-off recalls (automatic gearbox, underbody panel for a few weeks in 2015, DC/DC converter, reversing warning and DSC warning light in 2023-2025). We have found no reliability studies or owner reports for this generation. The most important documented faults are: unintended downshift of the automatic gearbox caused by a transmission control unit software fault (gearbox and clutch, critical severity), DC/DC converter control unit fault with risk of short circuit and fire (electrical system, critical severity), underbody protective panel coming away on the first vehicles built in 2015 (bodywork and interior, medium severity) and obstacle warning fault when reversing caused by parking assist unit software (electronics and infotainment, medium severity).[6][7][8][9][10][11]

What faults does the Mazda MX-5 IV have?

The most important by severity and frequency, on the engines we have documented, are: intake shut-off valve software issue and engine stalling (Skyactiv-G, medium severity), micro-cracks in the fuel pump impeller (Skyactiv-G, medium severity), ECU programming and loss of power (CX-5 II and Mazda3 IV) (Skyactiv-G, medium severity), carbon build-up in the intake manifold and injectors (Skyactiv-G, low severity) and higher-than-normal oil consumption (Skyactiv-G, low severity).

What is the best year to buy a Mazda MX-5 IV?

According to our rating by year, the best are 2026, 2022 and 2021 (8.8/10); the worst rated is 2017 (6.9/10). Each year's rating counts only the engines sold that year and the faults that affect those units: open each year to see what changes.

Does the Mazda MX-5 IV have recalls?

Yes: we have documented 5 campaigns for the Mazda MX-5 IV, such as mazda MX-5: TCS/DSC warning light may not illuminate (2025). Check with your VIN at the official service centre whether yours has been done.[11]

Sources

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

  1. Mazda 6 (GJ, III) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  2. Mazda CX-5 II (KF) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  3. Mazda 3 IV (BP) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  4. Mazda 3 (BM/BN, 2013-2019) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  5. Mazda 2 (DJ) – Erfahrungen & ProblemeGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  6. Mazda MX-5 EU Recallscar-recalls.eu · Other source · consulted 5 October 2026
  7. Mazda MX-5 (2016 – 2018) accident, gearboxcar-recalls.eu (Safety Gate A12/0782/19) · Other source · published 23 May 2019 · consulted 5 October 2026
  8. Mazda MX-5 (2015) bodywork, suspensioncar-recalls.eu (Safety Gate A12/1278/19) · Other source · published 22 August 2019 · consulted 5 October 2026
  9. Mazda MX-5 electronic fire recall (2014 – 2017)car-recalls.eu (Safety Gate A12/1310/18) · Other source · published 14 September 2018 · consulted 5 October 2026
  10. Mazda MX-5 (2023 – 2024) electronic, injurycar-recalls.eu (Safety Gate SR/01996/25) · Other source · published 31 May 2025 · consulted 5 October 2026
  11. DVSA – base de llamadas a revisiónDVSA (Reino Unido) · Other source · consulted 5 October 2026
  12. SkyactivWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  13. Mazda MX-5Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026