Honda CR-V vs Mazda CX-5: Which Years to Avoid
Honda CR-V years to avoid are 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024 and 2025; Mazda CX-5 years to avoid are 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019. NHTSA lists 13,685 CR-V complaints across 21 model years (652 per year) versus 2,430 CX-5 complaints across 14 model years (174 per year), but these totals are not sales-normalized. The CR-V averages 26.9 mpg combined and the CX-5 26.5 mpg combined.
Head to head
Honda CR-V
- Model years
- 2005–2025 (21)
- NHTSA complaints
- 13,685
- Per model year
- 652
- Recall campaigns
- 52
- Years to avoid
- 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025
- Best years
- 2012, 2013, 2022
- Top problem area
- Engine
- Avg. EPA combined MPG
- 26.9
- Avg. NHTSA overall rating
- 4.9 ★
Mazda CX-5
- Model years
- 2012–2025 (14)
- NHTSA complaints
- 2,430
- Per model year
- 174
- Recall campaigns
- 8
- Years to avoid
- 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019
- Best years
- 2017, 2022, 2024
- Top problem area
- Engine
- Avg. EPA combined MPG
- 26.5
- Avg. NHTSA overall rating
- 4.8 ★
Year by year
Complaint Index is relative within each model (0 = that model’s best year, 100 = its worst). Complaints and recalls are raw counts.
| Year | CR-V | CX-5 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Complaints | Recalls | MPG | Verdict | Complaints | Recalls | MPG | |
| 2005 | Caution | 479 | 12 | 22 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | Caution | 398 | 12 | 22 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | Caution | 887 | 12 | 22.5 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | Caution | 961 | 11 | 22.5 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | Caution | 386 | 12 | 22.5 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | Caution | 481 | 15 | 23.5 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | Caution | 553 | 13 | 23.5 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | Best | 403 | 3 | 25.5 | No verdict | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | Best | 382 | 2 | 25.5 | Good | 194 | 1 | 28 |
| 2014 | Caution | 587 | 1 | 25.5 | Avoid | 377 | 3 | 27 |
| 2015 | Caution | 670 | 3 | 28.5 | Good | 133 | 3 | 27 |
| 2016 | Good | 393 | 3 | 28 | Avoid | 510 | 4 | 29 |
| 2017 | Avoid | 1,768 | 7 | 28.5 | Best | 148 | 1 | 26.5 |
| 2018 | Avoid | 2,141 | 5 | 28.5 | Avoid | 349 | 3 | 28 |
| 2019 | Avoid | 1,099 | 8 | 28.5 | Avoid | 270 | 2 | 27 |
| 2020 | Caution | 353 | 7 | 29.5 | Caution | 106 | 0 | 26 |
| 2021 | Good | 330 | 4 | 29.5 | Caution | 146 | 0 | 25.5 |
| 2022 | Best | 259 | 3 | 29.5 | Best | 63 | 0 | 25 |
| 2023 | Avoid | 515 | 3 | 29.5 | Caution | 62 | 0 | 25 |
| 2024 | Avoid | 392 | 2 | 33.5 | Best | 44 | 0 | 25 |
| 2025 | Avoid | 248 | 1 | 37 | Good | 27 | 0 | 25 |
Complaint Index by year
Honda CR-V
Mazda CX-5
Frequently asked questions
- Which CR-V years should I avoid?
- NHTSA data points to 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024 and 2025 as CR-V years to avoid, with the 2018 model carrying the highest complaint index of 100 and the 2017 close behind at 95.
- Which CX-5 years should I avoid?
- Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2019 CX-5 model years are rated Avoid, with 2016 topping the complaint index at 100 due largely to electrical system issues.
- Does the CR-V have more problems than the CX-5?
- The CR-V shows 13,685 total complaints over 21 model years (652 per year on average) while the CX-5 shows 2,430 over 14 model years (174 per year), but NHTSA does not publish sales figures so these counts are not adjusted for how many of each were sold.
- Which SUV gets better fuel economy?
- The CR-V averages 26.9 mpg combined across its lineup and the CX-5 averages 26.5 mpg combined, a small difference, though later CR-V years like 2024 and 2025 reach 33.5 and 37 mpg combined.
- What are the top problem areas for each model?
- CR-V owners report engine issues most (20% of complaints), followed by electrical system (18%) and airbags (13%). CX-5 owners report engine issues most (28%), followed by electrical system (27%).