2018 Ford Escape vs 2018 Mazda CX-5
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2018 Ford Escape | 2018 Mazda CX-5 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,755 | 347 |
| Recall campaigns | 4 | 3 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 173 | 632 |
| Investigations | 0 | 0 |
| Crash reports | 25 | 19 |
| Fire reports | 5 | 1 |
| NCAP overall rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 23–26 | 26–29 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 81,000 mi | 15,577 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Escape | Mazda CX-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1,116 | 176 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 339 | 3 |
| Power Train | 265 | 41 |
| Electrical System | 53 | 29 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 42 | 20 |
| Service Brakes | 24 | 32 |
| Steering | 32 | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 13 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Check engine light | 546 | 18 |
| Overheating | 466 | 7 |
| Misfire / rough idle | 341 | 7 |
| Stalling | 150 | 29 |
| Vibration / shaking | 126 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 81 | 6 |
| Hesitation / surging | 56 | 10 |
| Clunking / rattling | 20 | 0 |
2018 Ford Escape
2018 Mazda CX-5
Compare all Ford Escape vs Mazda CX-5 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.