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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2018 Mazda CX-9 is associated with 126 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Engine, accounting for 58 reports (46% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.5l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 23 to 24 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 126 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Engine (58 / 46%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 4 crash / 1 fire / 2 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 23–24 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
CX-9 2WD 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 22 MPG 28 MPG 24 MPG — $2,550 / yr
CX-9 4WD 2.5L 4-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic (S6) 20 MPG 26 MPG 23 MPG — $2,650 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 15.9%
SUV AWD 15.1%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as No and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as No in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Mazda CX-9 models.
View complete 2018 Mazda CX-9 crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

Summary of 126 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
126
Crash Reports
4
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
2
Total Injuries
2

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Engine 58 complaints
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 8 complaints
Electrical System 6 complaints
Service Brakes 4 complaints (1 crash)
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 3 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2018 Mazda CX-9 problems & component breakdown (35 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #21V875000 Active Recall
Affected Component: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Defect Summary: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 Mazda3, Mazda6, 2019 CX-3, 2018-2019 MX-5, CX-5, CX-9, and 2019-2020 Mazda2 vehicles. The impeller inside the low-pressure fuel pump may crack and deform, potentially causing the fuel pump to fail.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pumps, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 18, 2022. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 5321K.
NHTSA Campaign #19V403000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Defect Summary: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2018 CX-9 vehicles. The wiring harness may disrupt electrical communications and disable the passenger frontal air bag, turn signals, and/or engine starting system.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will repair the wiring harnesses, free of charge. The recall began July 26, 2019. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 3419E.
View all 2018 Mazda CX-9 recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2018 Mazda CX-9

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Mazda CX-9

How many safety recalls does the 2018 Mazda CX-9 have?

The 2018 Mazda CX-9 is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

NHTSA records list 126 consumer defect complaints for the 2018 Mazda CX-9. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Engine, appearing in 58 filings (46% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2018 Mazda CX-9 defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2018 Mazda CX-9?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2018 Mazda CX-9 earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2018 Mazda CX-9 get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2018 Mazda CX-9 range from 23 to 24 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.