How many miles can a Mazda 6 last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand Mazda 6 that’s of course a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog we’ll look at the most popular models but first, let’s start with a quick answer:
On average a Mazda 6 lasts between 200,000 – 230,000 miles. A Mazda 6 needs to go for to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.4 times per year with 9% change of the problem being severe. Furthermore, Mazda 6 owners spend an average of $481 per year on repair costs.
Having said that we’re certainly not done. Below we’ll first explain in more detail how many miles a Mazda 6 can last. After that, we’ll compare the Mazda 6 to it’s main competitors in terms of potential mileage and we’ll also compare the Mazda 6 to other Mazda’s. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that a Mazda 6 can have, how much maintenance will cost per year and how to maintain a Mazda 6. Read on!
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How Many Miles Can A Mazda 6 Last?
In order to know how many miles a Mazda 6 can last we first had to do some research. For this research we used the database of autotrader.com. Here, we selected all the Mazda 6’s that were for sale in the United States. This meant we had a total of 4,394 Mazda’s to work with.
Then, we divided the cars up into groups based on the number of miles they had driven. The results are displayed in the table below. What we found is that there’s quite a substantial group of Mazda 6’s that have crossed the 150,000 miles mark. Normally we expect to see a figure between 3-5% here and in that aspect the Mazda 6 seems to perform normal.
Furthermore, it’s also seen that a large number of 6’s have passed the 100,000 miles mark which, once again, is a good signs in terms of reliability. It’s also important to note that a lot of 6’s are still quite new and therefore haven’t yet had time to pass the 45,000 miles mark which explains why the majority is in this category.
| Amount Of Miles | Percentage Of Cars |
| Cars With 150.000+ | 3.62% |
| Cars With 100.000 – 149.000 | 9.19% |
| Cars With 45.000 – 99.999 | 19.96% |
| Cars With 0 – 44.999 | 67.23% |
Besides these groups it’s also important to look at the highest recorded mileage on a Mazda 6. Reason for this is that this gives us an even better understanding of what the 6 is capable of in terms of mileage when taken care of properly and when pushed to the limits of its lifespan.
What we found is that the Mazda 6 has a highest recorded mileage of 260,000. It won’t surprise anybody that this is a good score. We also found that there were quite a few examples of 6’s that had reached this mileage which is of course a positive sign.
How Reliable Is A Mazda 6 Compared To Its Competitors?
Besides comparing the Mazda 6 to itself it’s of course also important to compare the Mazda 6 to its competitors. Below we used the Kia Optima, the Nissan Altima and the Toyota Camry for this purpose. We used the same research method for this as described before.
What we found here is that the Mazda 6 seems to do well in terms of how big of a percentage of the group has reached the 150,000 miles mark. The Mazda 6 outperforms the Optima and the Altima which both seem to score relatively low. However, the Camry does better than all the other cars with a percentage of 5,63%.
When we look at the highest recorded mileage we can state that the Mazda 6 does well with 260,000 miles. It outperforms the Optima slightly, but it underperforms the Altima and the Camry significantly. However, this is most likely because there are a lot more Altima’s and Camry’s sold which means that these cars have a higher change of reaching a higher mileage.
| Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
| Mazda Mazda6 | 4,394 | 159 | 3.62% | 260,000 |
| Kia Optima | 8895 | 214 | 2.41% | 250,000 |
| Nissan Altima | 26735 | 766 | 2.87% | 300,000 |
| Toyota Camry | 32110 | 1808 | 5.63% | 320,000 |
How Reliable Is A Mazda 6 Compared To Other Mazda’s?
Furthermore, it’s important to compare the Mazda 6 to other Mazda’s. Reason for this is the fact that this gives us a better understanding of the quality standard that Mazda has for its cars and how the Mazda 6 fits in in this spectrum.
What we found is that the Mazda 6 seems to be one of the most reliable cars that Mazda has been in the past years. The 6 is only slightly outperformed by the Mazda 3 in terms of the percentage of cars that has reached the 150,000 miles mark. Furthermore the 6 outperforms all other Mazda’s which is a good sign but we have to keep in mind that some Mazda’s are much newer than the 6 and this slightly skews the numbers.
When we look at the highest recorded mileage, we see that the 6 once again does well. It outperforms the MX-5 Miata and the CX-3 by quite some margin. However, it underperforms the Mazda 3, the CX-5 and CX-9. All in all the Mazda 6 does however seem to be a reliable car.
| Model | Sample Size | Cars With 150.000+ Miles | % Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+ | Highest Mileage |
| Mazda Mazda3 | 7,536 | 296 | 3.93% | 280,000 |
| Mazda Mazda6 | 4,394 | 159 | 3.62% | 260,000 |
| Mazda MX-5 Miata | 1,063 | 13 | 1.22% | 200,000 |
| Mazda CX-3 | 1,528 | 4 | 0.02% | 175,000 |
| Mazda CX-5 | 20,714 | 102 | 1.94% | 300,000 |
| Mazda CX-9 | 5,260 | 131 | 2.49% | 290,000 |
What Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?
Besides knowing how many miles the Mazda 3 can drive it’s also important to know how much the car annually costs in terms of maintenance. Reason for this is that this gives you a clearer image of what to expect from this car on the long-term.
To find the maintenance cost per model year we used data from repairpal.com. We outlined all the maintenance cost per model year in the table below. E.g. a 2015 Mazda 3 costs $501 per year in annual maintenance.
What we found is that the Mazda 6 is a fairly inexpensive car to own in terms of maintenance. On average the 6 costs $481 per year. For a car this size that’s very affordable given that some cars in this category score in the high 600’s.
The only real outlier in the table below is the 2014 Mazda 6 with $596 per year. All the other cars score in the $400 range or in the low 500’s. Therefore, the Mazda 6 does also seem to be a good buy in terms of maintenance costs.
| Year Of Manufacturing | Mazda 6 Maintenance Cost |
| 2017 | $ 396 |
| 2016 | $ 458 |
| 2015 | $ 501 |
| 2014 | $ 596 |
| 2013 | $ 518 |
| 2012 | $ 465 |
| 2011 | $ 443 |
| 2010 | $ 398 |
| 2009 | $ 379 |
| 2008 | $ 358 |
| 2007 | $ 357 |
Also read: The Complete Cost Of Maintaining A Mazda
Mazda 6 Common Problems
Besides knowing how much maintenance cost for the Mazda 6 it’s also important to know what common problems are for this car. This makes sure that you know what to expect when you’re in the market for a Mazda 6.
NOTE: Before buying a used car, I always like to make sure the vehicle isn´t having any problems that you should be aware of. The easiest way to do this is by buying an OBD2 scanner. These scanners can easily be plugged into any car you’re interested in, and they’ll give you a rundown of potential problems.
Also read: 6 Common Problems Of A Mazda 6
Engine Overheating
The cooling fan control module is known for malfunctioning which means the engine will start overheating and the check engine light illuminates. Replacing the cooling fan module is necessary to fix the problem and will cost $100 – $150.
Sticky Valve Lash Adjusters
The valve lash adjusters can become ‘sticky’ on vehicles with a higher mileage. This will start producing a ticking noise from the top of the engine. To fix this problem the hydraulic valve lash adjusters need to be replaced. The parts itself aren’t that expensive but the replacing takes a while. Expect to pay $250 – $300.
Stalling When Accelerating
In 2012 and pre-2009 models the Mazda 6 is known for sometimes stalling or stuttering during light acceleration. To fix this the powertrain control module needs a software update.
Shifting Problems
Mazda 6’s that were produced between 2005 – 2012 are particularly well-known for shifting problems. This can either mean harsh shifting or slippage. The most common reason for this problem is lacking software. Normally an update is enough to fix it. However, sometimes mechanical problems are the cause and the transmission needs to be repaired or replaced costing $1,000 – $1,500. Regularly changing the transmission fluid can mitigate some of the problems.
Also read: Mazda 6 Transmissions: Overview, Problems, Fluids
Swirl Shutter Valve Problems
A problem with the swirl shutter valve caused the check engine light to come on in pre-2011 models. Mazda issued a recall for this so do check if the car you want has been part of this recall.
Is The Mazda 6 A Smart Buy?
Finally, we have to answer the question of whether or not the Mazda 6 is a smart buy or not. For this we have to take everything into account: it’s potential life span, maintenance cost, problems and how much value you currently get for your money.
In terms of mileage we would say the Mazda 6 seems to do fairly well. There’s good proof that the 6 is easily able to break the 200,000 miles mark which does indicate that the car has a long life span. Compared to it’s competitors it’s not top-of-the-class but does well enough to be a worthy competitor.
Maintenance cost are also within healthy boundaries and nothing out of the ordinary. The potential problems that the Mazda 6 can have are minor in general but do make sure that the one you will potentially buy doesn’t have any major shifting problems.
Finally, it’s important to check whether or not the 6 delivers good value for money. Using data from caredge.com we can see that the 6 depreciates by about 46% in 5 years. This is normal depreciation. Assuming the car has driven 75,000 miles at this point that would mean the car still has 125,000 miles left for 54% of the price.
We would say this is a fairly good deal, nothing special but also certainly not bad. If we consider the fact that the Mazda 6 does seem to be reliable in general than, yes, the Mazda 6 is a smart buy.
Also read: The Exact Bolt Pattern Of A Mazda 6
Mazda 6 Maintenance Schedule
In order for a Mazda 6 to reach higher mileage it also needs regular maintenance. Before you purchase a Mazda 6 it’s therefore important you have a clear understanding of what kind of maintenance this car needs regularly. We’ve outlined the maintenance schedule of the Mazda 6 in the points below.
- Change the oil every 7,500 miles
- Rotate the tires every 7,500 miles
- Replace the cabin air filter every 30,000 miles
- Tighten the body nuts and bolts every 30,000 miles
- Change the air filter every 37,500 miles
- Flush and replace the coolant every 120,000 miles.
Also read: Types Of Gas A Mazda 6 Takes (Explained)
Sources
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
Read more about our fantastic team on our about page!