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2022 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

23 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 18, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Airbags problems dominate (52% of complaints).

Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.

Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.

Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.

Score breakdown, by factor

Full methodology →

#19 of 353Among the 2022 models with a matured record, the 2022 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan ranks #19, scoring higher than 94% of them. See the 2022 ranking →

Complaint volume100
Severity91
Recall load100
Trend68

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20222025

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

5/5 overall

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2022 Mazda Mazda3 5 HB AWD

Front crash
Side crash
Rollover

Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 10%

Stability control: StandardForward collision warning: StandardLane departure warning: Standard

No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2022 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k mi

Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (12)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Airbags

52%

12 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years

The passenger-side "airbag off" light does not go off, even with an adult in the passenger seat. This is a US car without an ability to disable the airbag, so this sho…

Read the airbags complaints →

Electrical system

17%

4 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years

Car doesn't start if sitting more than 4 days untouched. When i went to the dealer, they informed me they know about the issue but nothing can be done about it. They e…

Read the electrical system complaints →

Body & structure

9%

2 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years

Driver door does not open from inside the vehicle. Door opens when opened from outside the vehicle.

Read the body & structure complaints →

Engine

9%

2 complaints

I purchased the car on 02/05/2022, the car mileage is close to 15, 500 miles, on 03/03/2023 the car displayed a vehicle issue message stating low oil level. I checked …

Read the engine complaints →

Check it against this car’s mileage

Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.

miles

Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.

Read all 23 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 1 crash/fire/injury reports →

Recalls (0)

No recall campaigns on file for this model year.

Questions to ask the seller

Questions worth asking the seller of this Mazda before you buy, drawn from its public record:

  1. Owners of this model report airbags problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any airbags symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
  2. Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
  3. How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
  4. Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2022 Mazda MAZDA3 SEDAN beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2022? See how every Mazda3 Sedan model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2022 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

See what owners are saying about other cars →

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2022 Mazda Mazda3 Sedan as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.