12 Mazda Models That Are Worth Buying UsedSlashGearJack O'NeillSat, September 19, 2026 at 10:30 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleMazdaMazda doesn't top the sales charts in 2026, but its lineup is still one of the best if you want a premium feel without luxury-segment price tags. After recent shakeups with discontinuing quite a few nameplates and gradually introducing replacements throughout the decade so far, Mazda's lineup isn't as expansive as the likes of Toyota, but the Japanese manufacturer still offers SUVs in each major segment, a smaller hatchback/sedan, and a specific sports car that everyone recognizes.While the new models are far from the most expensive cars for sale, you might not want to pay what they fetch nowadays. Luckily, Mazda has one of the most attractive used markets if you want a mixture of quality and affordability. Alongside older SUVs, recently discontinued models still feel pretty new for much less and have proven to be some of the most reliable cars on the road. Even if you go back 15 years or more, once-popular nameplates still have competitive ratings that make them more than worth considering. Here's a closer look at 12 of the best Mazda models you can buy used.Read more: 10 Car Mods That Are Illegal In The US2022 Mazda CX-5MazdaMazda's SUVs are the focus of the brand at the moment, as is the case for the majority of its rivals. Instead of offering a large number of models, though, Mazda keeps it tight with only a handful of SUVs, but in different versions to cover as much ground as possible. One outlier in this case, however, is the CX-5 and the CX-50, which, while both are compact and are incredibly close in size, are built for different environments. If you want a small SUV that's a little more refined and comfortable for everyday driving, the CX-5 would be the best option here.AdvertisementAdvertisementFor the 2026 model year, the CX-5 started a new generation, with a solid starting MSRP of $29,990 to boot. However, if you want to save a little extra money and be confident the SUV won't let you down for reliability, the 2022 model is one of the highest-rated. The previous generation ran for eight years and managed to stay competitive throughout, with things like 59.3 cubic feet of cargo capacity, and can be picked up on the used market for anywhere between $22,000 and $27,000. For reliability, J.D. Power gives it a great score of 86/100, with an overall score of 83.2019 Mazda MX-5MazdaThe poster child for Mazda as a brand, very few sports cars have stayed as true to its original philosophy as the wonderfully balanced MX-5. It's never been the flashiest or fastest sports car you can buy; instead, it keeps things stripped back and analog to give you the purest feel behind the wheel. And because it doesn't chase performance figures or add anything fancy, it's long been among the cheapest in the segment.The current generation was introduced in the 2015 model year, so if you don't need the newest version, you'll have a decade of choices for a similar MX-5, though you'll miss a few convenience features the further back you go. If we're looking at reliability on the used models, the 2019 MX-5 stands out as one of the best, with strong ratings across the board. J.D. Power has it at 86/100, with Consumer Reports also saying it'll fare much better than other cars of the same year. Better yet, the 2019 model got a sizable power increase to 181 horsepower, up from 155.2018 Mazda3MazdaAlongside the SUVs in the current lineup, Mazda also has another car in the lineup. While others were discontinued at the end of the 2010s and into the 2020s, the compact Mazda3 managed to survive and remains one of the key nameplates for the brand. Its sales numbers aren't as high as the larger SUVs in either hatchback or sedan form, but that's expected. The 2026 car isn't expensive by any means in relation to today's market trends, starting at just $24,650 for the sedan. But going back to the final model of the last generation in 2018, you can get a great car for even less.AdvertisementAdvertisementAs you'd expect with a new generation, the 2019 model brought in quite a lot of changes, but the 2018 car is still competitive even against its newer counterpart. Its most powerful engine produces 184 horsepower, only 2 fewer than the least powerful engine in the newest version. The 2026 Mazda3 makes up to 250 horsepower. According to KBB, the highest trim level of the 2018 model averages just $14,450. To top things off, J.D. Power also reports a reliability score of 82/100, with owners rarely reporting any major faults with the compact car.2010 Mazda6YouTube/Sherwood Park ToyotaOne of the standard car nameplates that was discontinued was the Mazda6. As the name suggests, it was larger than the 3 and fell into the mid-size segment, which is even scarcer in 2026. The Mazda6 ran until 2021, and wasn't a bad car by any means in its final years. For this one, though, one of the much earlier model years is one of the best Mazdas to buy used if you're looking for a big bargain. This is the 2010 Mazda6, which has aged pretty well for a 16-year-old car.With plenty of years on the road, there's been more than enough time to gauge the reliability. J.D. Power starts strong with a score of 83/100, falling into the outlet's great category. RepairPal's data echoes this, with a low annual maintenance cost of $398, well below the current yearly average of $652. If you choose the larger 3.7L V6, you get 272 horsepower, notably above the output of the remaining mid-sized sedans.2022 Mazda CX-9MazdaA nameplate that was discontinued a little more recently than the Mazda6 was the CX-9, which acted as the brand's flagship full-size SUV from the 2007 model year up until 2023. Instead of keeping the CX-9 in production as well, it was dropped from the lineup to make way for the CX-90. It makes sense, as the full-size segment isn't anywhere near as popular as the compact segment, but since it has only been off the production line, recent model years still feel pretty new. Better yet, reliability also looks to be a strong point for them.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe CX-9 we recommend is the 2022 model. For reliability, RepairPal puts the CX-9 in first place within the full-size segment, with an annual maintenance cost of $539. J.D. Power's score of 84/100 puts it ahead of other model years in this area. Another big reason the 2022 model could appeal to you more than others is that the cheaper Sport trim was still available, which, according to KBB, averages $20,900. Not bad for a relatively full-size SUV at all.2014 Mazda2YouTube/Shooting CarsAt the other end of the 'normal' cars for Japanese manufacturers was the Mazda2. This tiny, subcompact hatchback was dropped from the lineup much earlier than the likes of the Mazda6, with its final model year being in 2014. While it's one of the older cars we've chosen for this list, it'll still be able to get the job done if you need a cheap, reliable car to run around your town or city. It was affordable when it came out, but KBB says it'll cost just $5,450 in its base guise 12 years later, in 2026.Reliability data is a bit more limited for the final Mazda2, but owners who submitted reviews on Cars.com cite reliability as one of its strengths. This is also the case on KBB and Edmunds, with dependability being one of the highest-scoring factors overall among drivers. As you might have guessed, the Mazda2 isn't actually powerful. The 1.5L four-cylinder produces 100 horsepower, but it is efficient, with a combined rating of 31 MPG from the EPA.2018 Mazda CX-5MazdaWe've already covered the CX-5 in its 2022 guise, but going back a few more years can help you save some more money without sacrificing any reliability. The 2018 model was the one after the second generation was introduced, but before the mid-cycle refresh that the 2022 model benefits from. However, under the shell remains the same base engine producing 187 horsepower, and the looks aren't massively different from what the refreshed models got.AdvertisementAdvertisementOne caveat with the 2018 CX-5 is that it doesn't get the turbocharged engine option that bumped up the output to 250 horsepower. That was first introduced for the 2019 model year. But if reliability is more important, the 2018 SUV gets a slightly better score of 83/100 from J.D. Power. This is another Mazda that keeps the repair costs low, with an annual cost of just $339, as per RepairPal. And for an average used price as low as $14,500, you get your money's worth up front.2019 Mazda CX-3MazdaAnother Mazda SUV that was dropped from the lineup in favor of its very similar counterpart was the CX-3. This was the same situation that occurred when the larger CX-9 was phased out for the CX-90, with the CX-30 becoming the only subcompact SUV in the lineup after 2021. The CX-3 was a touch smaller than the CX-30, being another model designed primarily for urban driving rather than a more practical all-rounder. If this sounds great for you and you don't want the size of the CX-5, the not-so-old CX-3 could be incredibly effective.The final 2021 model year isn't the one we've chosen here, instead going for the 2019 version. As they're both two of the final models, you won't lose out on any primary features, using the same 2.0L inline-four to produce 148 horsepower. The smooth, flowing design is the same. However, the 2019 CX-3 is the one with more concrete reliability data, getting a competitive score of 83/100 from J.D. Power and Consumer Reports, which expect it to have above-average dependability against other cars from 2019.2017 Mazda6MazdaIf you like the sound of the larger Mazda6 sedan but don't want to go as far back as 2010, newer choices are available in reliable used cars if you are willing to pay a bit more for modern features. The final gas-powered generation of the 6 lasted quite a while, running from 2014 to 2021. We've gone down the middle with the 2017 model, offering a great balance of reliability and standard features.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe 2017 model came a year after the mid-cycle refresh for the Mazda6, and it still looks in line with the brand's design philosophy. Certainly more modern than the 2010 model. Under the hood is a 2.5L four-cylinder producing 184 horsepower, and this is the only option for this model year. You might not get as much power as some older models, but the 84/100 reliability score from J.D. Power puts it above most in this regard.2022 Mazda3MazdaWhile the 2018 Mazda3 belonged to the third generation, the fourth-gen models have been in production since the 2019 model year. And because of this, you can get a car that still feels as new as the latest one. As far as reliability goes, it's hard to beat the 2022 model, which only has one major difference compared to what you get in 2026.The 2022 Mazda3 scores slightly lower than other used cars from the brand, but still sits above industry standards across the board. J.D. Power's rating of 81/100 is super competitive. Consumer Reports says it's one of the more reliable cars you can buy from the 2022 model year. This year was the last to have the 2.0L engine as standard, meaning you get less power at 155 horsepower. However, both the 2.0L base trim and the 186-horsepower 2.5L trim sit at $16,850 on the used market, according to KBB, meaning you get the 186 horsepower for around the same price. If you want even more power, the turbo engine produces 227 horsepower.2021 Mazda CX-30MazdaThe Mazda CX-3 remains a great choice on the used market, but if you want a bit more space inside and more practicality overall, the CX-30 should be higher up on your list. At the start of the decade, the CX-30 was doing better in sales than the smaller CX-3, so it made sense to prioritize the latter. And as it's still one of the newer cars in the lineup, there's only been one generation since 2019. Subsequently, this is another car you can get on the used market for less that still feels pretty new.AdvertisementAdvertisementBuilt on the Mazda3's platform, the 2021 CX-30 gets the same engines as the 2026 model. The base 2.5L four-cylinder produces 186 horsepower, whereas the turbocharged version puts down a stronger 250 horsepower. You shouldn't have to worry about reliability woes either, with five years on the road enough to score 81/100 in J.D. Power's reliability department.2011 Mazda CX-9YouTube/9th Street AutoPlazaFor the last Mazda on this list, we go back to the full-size CX-9, but 11 years earlier than the 2022 model. Going for a 2011 SUV means you'll lose out on quite a lot of tech and convenience that's commonplace in the modern lineup, but if you're looking for an SUV that can give you all the space you need without needing to go in and out of the shop constantly, the 2011 CX-9 makes a very good case for itself.Visually, it's not the most striking SUV, but its sporty philosophy separates it from so many other SUVs of its time. It went for just over $30,000 when it came out, but now KBB estimates a used price of just $5,375 on average for the base trim. For the money, you get a 3.7L V6 producing 273 horsepower, which is only 7 horsepower fewer than the base 2026 CX-90. With all seats folded, you also get a solid 100.7 cubic feet of cargo volume. Less than many modern full-size SUVs, but great for just over $5,000. J.D. Power's reliability score of 83/100 keeps it right up there with the rest of the entries here, making it one of the best value-for-money Mazda SUVs to buy used.MethodologyMazdaTo select the used Mazda models for this list, we used multiple, reliable sources along with verified owner experiences. These sources include J.D. Power, Consumer Reports, and RepairPal, only selecting cars that have consistent, strong scores across all. To cross-check the data, we used user feedback submitted on Cars.com and Edmunds.AdvertisementAdvertisementWant the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on SlashGear.