Are Mazdas expensive to maintain?
Mazdas have reasonable maintenance and repair costs, typically averaging $462 per year, according to RepairPal. This is well under the industry average of $652 per year.
How Mazda compares with other automakers
The table below shows how Mazdas’ annual maintenance and repair costs compare to other major car brands.
Mazda maintenance and repair costs by model
Upkeep costs are rarely consistent across any automaker’s lineup. That means the model of the Mazda you drive affects what you can expect to spend on upkeep. The table below shows how estimated annual maintenance costs change based on the Mazda model you choose.
| Model | Average maintenance and repair cost |
|---|---|
| Mazda CX-5 | $447 per year |
| Mazda3 | $433 per year |
| Mazda CX-9 | $539 per year |
» MORE: Average Car Maintenance Costs
Mazda maintenance cost and schedule
Mazda’s maintenance schedules generally vary by vehicle, and upkeep costs generally vary by your vehicle and your location.
Mazda maintenance costs
Maintenance costs are relatively simple to account for because you have to pay for them on a regular schedule. The details of what a given service might cost you will vary based on what your mechanic charges, but once you get an idea of their rates, you can plan ahead based on your vehicle’s recommended maintenance schedule.
Example: 2024 Mazda CX-5
To give you an idea of what maintenance services may cost you, we got estimates for a 2024 Mazda CX-5. All quotes are for Tulsa, Oklahoma.
| Service | Cost estimate |
|---|---|
| Tire rotation | $49 to $72 |
| Oil and filter change | $80 to $109 |
| Transmission fluid and filter change | $304 to $415 |
| Spark plug replacement | $278 to $329 |
Source: RepairPal, fair price estimate tool
Mazda maintenance schedule
Mazda service schedules vary by model, so it’s important to get your maintenance information directly from Mazda. Following the correct maintenance schedule for your vehicle can be critical to keeping it running smoothly, and missed maintenance services can void your warranty.
Example: 2024 Mazda CX-5
The table below shows selected maintenance items for a 2024 Mazda CX-5.
| Service | Standard schedule |
|---|---|
| Tire rotation | Every 7,500 miles |
| Change oil and filter | Every 7,500 miles |
| Replace cabin air filter | Every 2 years or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first |
| Inspect drive belts | Every 3 years or 22,500 miles, whichever comes first |
| Inspect fuel lines and hoses | Every 2 years or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first |
| Inspect front and rear suspension, ball joints and wheel bearing axial play | Every 2 years or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first |
| Replace engine coolant | Replace first at 10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first, then every 5 years or 60,000 miles after that |
| Replace spark plugs | Every 75,000 miles for most models; for models with SKYACTIV-G 2.5T engines, replace every 40,000 miles |
Scheduled maintenance for severe driving conditions
Mazda typically recommends more frequent maintenance if you routinely put your vehicle through severe conditions. Mazda defines severe conditions as:
- Frequent short-distance driving
- Idling for longer periods
- Driving in dusty, rough or muddy conditions
- Frequently using brakes
- Driving where salt or other corrosive materials are used
- Driving in cold temperatures for long periods of time
- Driving in extremely high temperatures
- Driving in the mountains continuously
If you frequently deal with these conditions, you might need to adjust certain scheduled maintenance items. For example, for a 2024 Mazda CX-5, you should rotate the tires every 5,000 miles instead of 7,500 miles.
If you're unsure which maintenance schedule is better for your vehicle, it’s best to speak with your local Mazda dealership.
Mazda repair costs
Mazda provides a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty on all of its new vehicles. However, your factory warranty won’t protect you from everything. Auto warranties generally only cover manufacturing defects, and they don’t cover wear-and-tear items, routine maintenance or damage from neglect or abuse.
RepairPal estimates that Mazda vehicles visit the mechanic about 0.4 times each year, which is tied with the industry average of 0.4, and there’s only a 10% chance of the problem being severe, which is below the industry average of 12%. RepairPal also rates Mazda 4 out of 5 stars for reliability, which is an above-average score.
Example: 2024 Mazda CX-5
The table below shows some typical repair costs for a 2024 Mazda CX-5. All quotes are for Tulsa, Oklahoma.
| Service | Cost estimate |
|---|---|
| Front brake pad replacement, both sides | $355 to $406 |
| Alternator replacement (2.5 S) | $556 to $659 |
| Fuel pump replacement (2.5 S, high pressure fuel pump) | $1,673 to $1,765 |
| Starter replacement | $468 to $655 |
Source: RepairPal, fair price estimate tool
Consumer repair experience
If Mazda determines a repair isn't covered by your manufacturer’s warranty, you could be stuck with a big repair bill, as a few ConsumerAffairs reviewers found out the hard way.
Jason, a reviewer from California, said he spent thousands in repairs for his Mazda, and that not all work was covered by his warranty.
“I've been having multiple major failures over the past couple years (clutch, flywheel, [three] batteries, starter, serpentine belt, fuel injectors, wheel bearings) plus normally scheduled maintenance costs and nothing seems to be helping,” Jason said. “[I had all] services performed at the dealership[,] and I keep bringing it back with issues but get sent home without a fix[.] [...] I have never had so many issues with a car in my 20+ years of driving[.]”
Steven, a reviewer from Massachusetts, said they also had issues with their warranty.
“After buying a 2015 Mazda CX-5 pre-owned vehicle[,] I had a drivetrain issue at [60,000] miles that cost $2,800 to repair in October of 2021,” Steven said. “Even though the preowned warranty was for [seven] years and [100,000] miles[,] they wouldn't cover the repair costs due to some technicality they cited with the warranty agreement.”
While reports like this are unfortunate, they’re also a reminder of the kinds of repairs you can find yourself paying for if you want to keep driving your Mazda long term, despite Mazda’s reputation for reliability.
How can an extended warranty help?
Mazdas generally have above-average reliability, but that doesn’t mean they won’t need repairs. Repair costs are hard to predict because there’s no telling what will go wrong with your vehicle before it happens. These costs tend to result in larger bills at the mechanic than maintenance services.
If your Mazda is under an extended warranty though, it can help you avoid paying for certain repairs even after your factory warranty expires. While your car insurance should protect your finances against accidents and theft, an extended warranty can pay for repair bills resulting from when your car breaks down on its own.
Mazda extended warranties
Mazda’s extended warranties are called Mazda Protection Products (MPP) Vehicle Service Agreements (VSA). It offers three plan levels:
- MPP Platinum VSA: Provides bumper-to-bumper coverage
- MPP Gold VSA: Provides powertrain coverage plus some additional components
- MPP Powertrain VSA: Provides basic powertrain coverage
Mazda prepaid maintenance plans
Mazda also offers prepaid maintenance (PPM) plans called Mazda Protection Products Prepaid Maintenance plans. You can choose from two coverage levels: PPM Gold and PPM Platinum. Plans range from one to five years and generally include regularly scheduled maintenance items like oil changes, tire rotations, multi-point inspections and roadside assistance, among other benefits.
Prepaid maintenance plans can help you avoid paying full price for covered maintenance items. Plus, paying for these services ahead of time can help protect you from rising costs and inflation.
Third-party extended warranties
If you don’t want to buy an extended warranty directly from Mazda, you can consider plans from third-party extended warranty companies. With so many providers to choose from, you may be able to find terms and coverage that work better for you.
FAQ
Is Mazda a reliable car brand?
Mazda earns 4 out of 5 stars for reliability from RepairPal, ranking No. 5 out of 32 car brands. J.D. Power also rates Mazdas highly for dependability. In its 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, Mazda ranked No. 3 out of 30 car brands, earning a score of 161 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), which is much better than the study average of 202 PP100.
Does Mazda offer free maintenance?
Mazda doesn’t currently offer complimentary scheduled maintenance, but some local dealerships may provide complimentary maintenance plans, so it can be worth asking your local Mazda dealer.
Can you transfer a Mazda warranty?
Factory warranties are transferable to a new owner as these warranties follow the car, not the owner. You can also transfer an official Mazda extended warranty or prepaid maintenance plan to a new owner.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:
- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Still Suffering Due to Pandemic Aftershocks, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Mazda Repair & Maintenance Costs.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Mazda Reliability Rating.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Get a Free Car Repair Estimate.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “BMW Repair & Maintenance Costs.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Honda Repair & Maintenance Costs.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Nissan Repair & Maintenance Costs.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Toyota Repair & Maintenance Costs.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Mazda CX-5 Repair & Maintenance Costs.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Mazda 3 Repair & Maintenance Costs.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
- RepairPal, “Mazda CX-9 Repair & Maintenance Costs.” Accessed Jan. 14, 2026.
