Compact cars: complaints, recalls and trends by model
The Compact cars segment covers 9 tracked models with 9,033 owner complaints and 131 recall campaigns on record. It averages 21.9 complaints per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical relative to all tracked vehicles (index 0.54).
Analysis
Mazda Mazda3 has the fewest complaints per year in the segment and Honda Civic the most. The segment's largest problem area is Steering (20.2% of complaints, 3.2× the fleet share).
By model year, the segment's average rate is highest for 2022 (33.5) and lowest for 2021 (16.5). In the last 12 months owners filed 1,373 complaints versus 1,479 in the previous 12 months — down 7%. Models on an improving trend: Mazda Mazda3, Subaru Impreza, Kia Forte and Volkswagen Jetta. Models on a worsening trend: Hyundai Elantra and Honda Civic.
Models
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazda Mazda3 | 325 | 6.0 | 0.15 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 15 | Electrical |
| 2 | Toyota Prius | 262 | 7.2 | 0.18 | Stable | Rising | 11 | Electrical |
| 3 | Subaru Impreza | 499 | 8.5 | 0.21 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 13 | Body & structure |
| 4 | Kia Forte | 549 | 12.9 | 0.32 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 10 | Engine |
| 5 | Volkswagen Jetta | 870 | 17.0 | 0.42 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 22 | Engine |
| 6 | Nissan Sentra | 935 | 19.3 | 0.48 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 15 | Electrical |
| 7 | Toyota Corolla | 1,147 | 26.7 | 0.66 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 15 | Engine |
| 8 | Hyundai Elantra | 1,434 | 28.7 | 0.71 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 19 | Engine |
| 9 | Honda Civic | 3,012 | 68.2 | 1.69 | Worsening | Falling | 14 | Steering |
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
By model year · Complaints per year on the road
All-vehicle average: 40.4
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average