Is the Toyota Corolla more reliable than the Mazda CX-5?

No, the CX-5 has a slight edge. Both stand excellent and draw the same rate of owner complaints per vehicles sold. The difference is recalls, with 44 for the Corolla and 11 for the CX-5. The Corolla is cheaper to repair, so the gap is small.

Which has more recalls, the Corolla or the CX-5?

The Corolla has far more. Federal recall records show 44 across model years 2018 to 2026, against 11 for the CX-5. Owners also reported that a front passenger airbag recall left some Corolla buyers waiting on parts, so check recall status on any car.

Which costs less to repair, the Corolla or the CX-5?

The Corolla costs less. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $362 a year against $447 for the CX-5, a gap of roughly $425 over five years. Both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, and major repairs are slightly more likely on the CX-5.

What is the biggest problem with the Mazda CX-5?

Cracked cylinder heads. They leak oil onto the hot exhaust side, giving a burning smell, white smoke, or oil on the ground. Many cars show no warning light until oil runs low. Failures cluster between about 30,000 and 80,000 miles, and quotes reach $8,000.

Why do some Corollas stall at red lights?

Owners tie it to auto start/stop. The engine shuts off at a stop, usually in rain with the wipers running, and a low power steering warning appears. The car will not restart until shifted to park. Dealers often find no stored codes, and some cars repeat it.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Mazda CX-5 vs Toyota Corolla: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Mazda CX-5

Excellent

Toyota Corolla

Excellent

The Mazda CX-5 holds a slight reliability edge over the Toyota Corolla. Recalls decide it: 44 across nine model years for the Corolla, 11 for the CX-5. Both rate excellent, though the Corolla costs less to repair and the CX-5 carries a costly engine risk.

How Do the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota Corolla Generations Compare?

Two Corolla generations show up in the 2018 to 2023 span. The eleventh ran from 2014 through 2019 and got a mid-cycle refresh for 2017, so 2018 and 2019 are late cars of that design. The twelfth covered 2020 through 2023, and both of its end years, 2020 and 2023, are among the weakest. The CX-5's second generation ran from 2017 through 2025, so nearly every used model year here belongs to it. A facelift arrived for 2022, and 2018 and 2019, the weakest years, came before it. The third generation began with 2026 and has only that one model year so far.

Verdict

The Mazda CX-5 is more reliable than the Toyota Corolla, scoring 83/100 vs 81/100.

A slight edge goes to the Mazda CX-5. Both stand excellent, and owners file complaints at the same rate per vehicles sold. The gap comes from federal recall records: 44 for the Corolla across nine model years against 11 for the CX-5. The Corolla also has a rain-linked stalling pattern that runs through several problem areas. The CX-5 has a serious weak point of its own in cracked cylinder heads, so the lead is narrow, not decisive.

Key Differences

1Toyota Corolla costs $85 less per year to repair
2Mazda CX-5 has 33 fewer total recalls
3Mazda CX-5 scores 2 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

2Mazda CX-5

—

2Toyota Corolla

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Mazda CX-5 vs Toyota Corolla: Which Is More Reliable?

Mazda CX-5 vs Toyota Corolla at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Mazda CX-5	Toyota Corolla
Reliability Score	83/100	81/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	11	44
Complaints per 10k Sold	5.6	5.6
Annual Repair Cost	$447/yr	$362/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	8%	7%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	4 (2 tied)	3 (2 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota Corolla?

Stalling at a stop is the Corolla's defining failure. With auto start/stop on, usually in rain with the wipers running, the engine shuts off, a low power steering warning appears, and the car will not restart until shifted to park. Airbag complaints add failures to deploy in severe crashes, and the manual GR Corolla has early clutch failure. CX-5 trouble is more mechanical: cracked cylinder heads leaking oil onto the hot exhaust side, ghost touch on the touchscreen, and smart brake faults. Its service brake complaints include 9 crash-linked ones, a group the Corolla's main problem list does not show.

Mazda CX-5 vs Toyota Corolla common problem areas comparison
Component	Mazda CX-5	Toyota Corolla
ENGINE	1.5Low	0.8Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	0.6Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.7Very Low	0.6Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.6Very Low	0.6Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.6Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.2Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.1Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
VISIBILITY	—None	—None
WHEELS	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Mazda CX-5 or Toyota Corolla?

A lower repair bill favors the Corolla, at about $362 a year against $447 for the CX-5. That is $85 a year, or roughly $425 over five years. Both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits per year, so neither sends you to the shop more often. The chance that a repair is major is 7% for the Corolla and 8% for the CX-5, a small gap.

How Does Mazda CX-5 vs Toyota Corolla Reliability Compare by Year?

Mazda CX-5 vs Toyota Corolla year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Mazda CX-5	Toyota Corolla	Edge
2026	94/1000R / 0C	94/1000R / 0C	Tie
2025	82/1003R / 25C	84/1002R / 37C	Toyota Corolla
2024	84/1001R / 53C	81/1008R / 97C	Mazda CX-5
2023	81/1002R / 96C	73/10015R / 243C	Mazda CX-5
2022	87/1000R / 50C	82/1002R / 120C	Mazda CX-5
2021	83/1000R / 129C	83/1001R / 160C	Tie
2020	86/1000R / 94C	74/1007R / 290C	Mazda CX-5
2019	75/1002R / 229C	77/1006R / 190C	Toyota Corolla
2018	71/1003R / 310C	80/1003R / 137C	Toyota Corolla

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Mazda CX-5 scored 87/100 and the 2021 Toyota Corolla scored 83/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Mazda CX-5 vs the Toyota Corolla?

Choose the Corolla if low running cost matters most. Its estimated repair bill is lower, and its engine has no pattern of oil-leaking head cracks. Skip 2020 and 2023, its weakest years. On any car you view, ask whether the front passenger airbag recall work was done, since owners reported remedy parts were unavailable. Steer clear of the manual GR Corolla if clutch life worries you, because one clutch failed under 5,500 miles. Choose the CX-5 if you want fewer recalls and want to avoid the Corolla's stalling reports. Target 2022, one of its strongest years and the first after the facelift. Avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest. Before you buy, look for oil around the exhaust side of the engine, since head failures cluster between about 30,000 and 80,000 miles and quotes reach $8,000. Test the touchscreen for ghost touch. Treat 2026 with caution, because a one-year-old design has had little time to collect complaints.

Mazda CX-5 vs Toyota Corolla: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Corolla more reliable than the Mazda CX-5?: No, the CX-5 has a slight edge. Both stand excellent and draw the same rate of owner complaints per vehicles sold. The difference is recalls, with 44 for the Corolla and 11 for the CX-5. The Corolla is cheaper to repair, so the gap is small.
Which has more recalls, the Corolla or the CX-5?: The Corolla has far more. Federal recall records show 44 across model years 2018 to 2026, against 11 for the CX-5. Owners also reported that a front passenger airbag recall left some Corolla buyers waiting on parts, so check recall status on any car.
Which costs less to repair, the Corolla or the CX-5?: The Corolla costs less. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $362 a year against $447 for the CX-5, a gap of roughly $425 over five years. Both average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, and major repairs are slightly more likely on the CX-5.
What is the biggest problem with the Mazda CX-5?: Cracked cylinder heads. They leak oil onto the hot exhaust side, giving a burning smell, white smoke, or oil on the ground. Many cars show no warning light until oil runs low. Failures cluster between about 30,000 and 80,000 miles, and quotes reach $8,000.
Why do some Corollas stall at red lights?: Owners tie it to auto start/stop. The engine shuts off at a stop, usually in rain with the wipers running, and a low power steering warning appears. The car will not restart until shifted to park. Dealers often find no stored codes, and some cars repeat it.

More Mazda CX-5 comparisons

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More Toyota Corolla comparisons

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How we score the Mazda CX-5 and Toyota Corolla

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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