CarTold

2016 vs. 2017 Mazda CX-5: What Changed

Our records for the 2016 and 2017 Mazda CX-5 show 4 differences in the specifications and ratings tracked below.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder is listed for 2016 but not for 2017.

The 6-speed manual listed for 2016 is not in the 2017 listing.

The best combined rating for the 2.5-litre four-cylinder falls from 29 to 27 mpg.

NHTSA's frontal crash rating goes from 4 stars in 2016 to 5 stars in 2017.

Five campaigns (exterior lighting, fuel system, steering and others) cover the 2016 and not the 2017, while one campaign (trailer hitches) covers the 2017 and not the 2016.

Fewer campaigns do not establish better reliability. Confirm each car's coverage and repair status by VIN.

The campaigns that separate them

Imported NHTSA recall campaigns that name one of these two model years but not the other, with their component labels. Campaigns covering both years are left out of this list.

Only the 2016

  • 16E002000 visibility
  • 16V064000 fuel system
  • 16V203000 steering
  • 16V644000 structure
  • 20V063000 exterior lighting

Only the 2017

  • 17V744000 trailer hitches
A campaign may cover only part of a model year's production. Use the campaign number to ask an authorized dealer whether the car's VIN is included and what work remains. Our recall tool finds model-year campaigns; this guide explains the vehicle-specific check.

Side by side

2016 2017
Engines listed 2.0L 4-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl 2.5L 4-cyl
Drive types Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive
Fuel types Regular Gasoline Regular Gasoline
Combined MPG 26–29 26–27
Recall campaigns 5 1
Complaints on file 510 148
Investigations 0 0
Complaint totals reflect different time on the road, sales and reporting. They cannot rank these years for reliability. The categories below identify symptoms to read about, not failure odds. How reporting time affects the comparison.

What owners reported, by system

2016

Visibility & lighting 196 (38%)
Other 92 (18%)
Electrical 67 (13%)

2017

Other 55 (37%)
Electrical 44 (30%)
Visibility & lighting 13 (9%)

Full reports

Open each year's report to read the recall, investigation, manufacturer communication and EPA variant records on file:

2016 CX-5 full report 2017 CX-5 full report Every CX-5 year compared

Sources and methodology