Ford Mustang vs Mazda RX-8
Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
Ford Mustang
- Total complaints
- 9,093
- Avg per model year
- 187
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 63
- Most complained year
- 2005 (705)
Top problems: Air Bags, Power Train, Electrical System
Mazda RX-8
- Total complaints
- 749
- Avg per model year
- 98
- Recall campaigns (all years)
- 14
- Most complained year
- 2004 (489)
Top problems: Power Train, Engine and Engine Cooling, Steering
Complaints by model year
| Year | Ford Mustang | Mazda RX-8 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 466 | 4 | ||
| 2010 | 260 | 5 | ||
| 2009 | 181 | 8 | ||
| 2008 | 347 | 17 | ||
| 2007 | 615 | 38 | ||
| 2006 | 422 | 60 | ||
| 2005 | 705 | 162 | ||
| 2004 | 116 | 489 |
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports per model year. A model that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — compare the shape across years, not just the raw totals, and read the year pages for what actually fails.