2014 Mazda Mazda6 — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $9,000–$14,000. This is one of the more reliable vehicles in its class — here's what to watch for anyway.
Deciding between model years? Compare the 12 Mazda Mazda6 years we've written up →
Kestrel Take
The best-driving midsize sedan of its era and one of the most reliable — the SkyActiv 2.5L is efficient and durable, with a conventional automatic (no CVT). Handsome, frugal, and genuinely fun. The main gripes are firm ride, road noise, and rust-belt corrosion. A superb used sedan if the body is clean and it was maintained.
What we checked
Partly reconciled against public records, 2026-09-25
NHTSA holds 137 owner complaints for the 2014 Mazda Mazda6, and 4 recall campaigns.
A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 34% of them are about one thing — electrics and electronics. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.
4 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Not written up yet: the transmission and drivetrain (19 complaints), the brakes (17 complaints). Those groups are in the public record and are not covered by the issues below. Treat them as something to ask about, not as absent.
Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.
Known Issues for the 2014 Mazda Mazda6
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.
Early Mazda6 bodies corrode at the rear arches and rockers in salty climates; inspect carefully underneath.
Repair cost (estimate): $300-$1,500+
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under wheels and bearings (8).
Sporty tuning brings more tire noise than rivals. Character.
Repair cost: Not yet priced
Source: not yet checked against public records.
The pre-Mazda-Connect system is dated and slow.
Repair cost (estimate): $0
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (47).
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Bubbling or perforation at the rear arches/rockers
- ✗Neglected oil
- ✗Crash repair under new paint
Good Signs
- ✓Documented service
- ✓Tight, quiet drive
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Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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