NHTSA has received 101 owner complaints about the 2021 Mazda CX-30, or 17.5 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.43, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #36 of 85 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Mazda models its rate is 53% higher; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 23% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2021-05-10 and 2026-09-20. Median delay from incident to filing: 9 days.
101Complaints
17.5Complaints per year on the road
0.43Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
2Recalls
9.9%Share involving a crash or fire
10Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 5.0 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2022) drew 6.9 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 45 complaints, 26% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (48.5% of complaints), followed by Body & structure (11.9%) and Electrical (7.9%). Engine complaints are 2.2 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 10 reports (9.9%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 13 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 25 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the second year (39% of incidents). 10 complaints were filed in the last 12 months.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.43
vs. other Mazda models1.53
vs. other 2021 models0.45
vs. other Subcompact SUVs0.77
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (45)0.74
On June 3rd, 2026, about 1:15 PM, I braked in the rain because there was a stopped car in front of me. The brakes did not work; the Automatic Emergency brakes did not work; the Forward Collision Warning did not work and I hit the car in front of me causing a…
Brakes · 2026-06-13 · ODI 11743896 · Crash
The contact owns a 2021 Mazda CX-30. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was slightly depressed; however, the vehicle speed increased significantly independently.
Other · 2025-08-13 · ODI 11680382 · Crash
For the past 2 years there has been a severe parasitic battery drain issue that drains that battery partially or in some cases completely ruins new batteries. Car has spent a cumulative total of 3 months with a dealer trying to find the source.
Electrical · 2026-09-20 · ODI 11765721
The climate control system suffered a sudden, complete failure due to an engineering defect documented in Mazda Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) ID: MC-10203760-0001.
Body & structure · 2026-07-27 · ODI 11753153
Excessive oil consumption. Regularly have a low oil warning come up about 6000 kms after an oil change. Oil is always low when checked.
Engine · 2026-07-05 · ODI 11748372
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Summary: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2021 Mazda3 and CX-30 vehicles. Air may suddenly leak from the tire air valve.
Risk: A sudden air leak from the tire air valve may cause a loss of vehicle control while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace all four tire air valves with new parts, free of charge. The recall began April 6, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4721B.
Summary: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2020-2021 CX-30 vehicles. When fully opened, the power liftgate may partially lower unexpectedly when the vehicle is parked facing uphill on a slope.
Risk: If the power liftgate unexpectedly lowers while a person is accessing the rear storage area of the vehicle, it can increase their risk of injury.
Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will update the power liftgate control module software and inspect the serial number of the power liftgate drive unit, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 8, 2021. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 4621B.
