Mazda’s Push for More Features May Be Hurting Its Reliability

For much of the past decade, Mazda has been the Japanese brand that punched above its weight, offering premium-feeling interiors, driver-focused dynamics, and dependability that kept loyal buyers coming back. Consumer Reports’ brand reliability rankings consistently place Lexus, Subaru, and Toyota at the top, and seven years back, Mazda was right up there with them, clinching second spot on the list. Fast forward to 2026, and Mazda has seen the biggest drop in the reliability rankings of all carmakers, falling eight spots from the previous years to land at 14, just ahead of Volvo. The worst part is that the reasons are ones Mazda chose for itself.

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