2013 Mazda 3: common problems and reliability
An average 3 year.
117 owner complaints, most about exterior lighting. 1 recall.
Should I buy a 2013 3?The 2013 Mazda 3 has 117 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 1 recall on record. The most-reported areas are exterior lighting and electrical system.
Safety record for the 2013 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2013 Mazda 3 vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other 3 years only. How we score it
Is 2013 a good year for the 3?
Across the 21 3 model years we track, complaint volume runs from 12 (2023) to 686 (2010). With 117 complaints, the 2013 3 sits about the same as the model's median of 117.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2013 3
structure:body:hatchback/liftgate
Campaign 16V644000Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Mazda3 and Mazdaspeed3 vehicles manufactured November 18, 2008, to June 8, 2013, 2012-2015 Mazda5 vehicles manufactured October 26, 2010, to June 22, 2015, 2016 CX-3 vehicles manufactured June 1, 2015, to December 26, 2015, and 2013-2016 CX-5 vehicles manufactured December 15, 2011, to December 26, 2015. On the affected vehicles, the lift gate support struts may corrode, possibly causing the struts to break and/or the lift gate to drop unexpectedly.
What owners say across generations
Mixed sentiment, heavily dependent on generation and powertrain.
Owner insights cover all generations of the 3. See the full 3 owner picture and every model year.
Other 3 model years
Compare every 3 year side by side to see how 2013 ranks against the rest.
Compare the 3 against its rivals
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