Volkswagen, Subaru and Mazda each carry a long tail of owner complaints on CarComplaints.com, with a few models far out in front. Some entries come with average repair costs, while others show only a raw count of reports. These are owner submissions rather than proven defects, and eleven models follow.
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1. Volkswagen Jetta: Volkswagen’s Complaint Leader
No Volkswagen draws more reports than the Jetta, with 1,402 on the VW complaints page. The site also names the 2009, 2006 and 2014 Jettas among VW’s worst model years, alongside the 2019 Jetta and 2003 Passat.
A four-figure count partly reflects how long the nameplate has been on sale, and the source still treats each entry as an owner report rather than a confirmed defect. Used-Jetta shoppers can look up the exact year they are considering. Comparing a model’s total with its siblings on the same brand page gives better context than the number alone.
2. Volkswagen Passat: Oil Sludge, $2,800
Passat owners filed 1,055 complaints, and the Volkswagen listing highlights a 2002 Passat oil-sludge engine failure that averages $2,800 at 92,000 miles. Only the Jetta ranks above it on the VW page.
An average repair cost is built from what complainants reported, so a single bill can land well above or below it. Anyone eyeing an older Passat can ask whether regular oil changes are documented. Pairing the count with a vehicle history report and an independent mechanic’s inspection gives a fuller picture than any complaint site can.
3. Volkswagen Tiguan: Over 500 Tiguan Reports
The Tiguan, Volkswagen’s compact SUV, has 512 complaints on the CarComplaints VW page. It ranks third among the four VWs in this gallery, behind the Jetta and Passat but ahead of the Beetle.
The source offers the tally without a named fault, so the count alone cannot say what owners were reporting. A prospective buyer can pair it with recall lookups and the car’s own service history. Complaint sites also tend to attract owners with problems, so the numbers skew toward trouble by design.
4. Volkswagen Beetle: Beetle at 312
Beetle owners filed 312 complaints on the Volkswagen complaints listing, the smallest total among the four Volkswagens here. The figure is the whole story the page tells for this model, with no specific year or repair highlighted in the source.
Because the number comes from voluntary owner submissions, it signals reported trouble and not a measured failure rate. Shoppers can treat it as one input next to inspection results and maintenance records. A sensible step is to look up the exact model year, since totals combine every year the model was sold.
5. Subaru Outback: Subaru’s 1,586 Reports
The Outback leads Subaru with 1,586 complaints, and the Subaru complaints page lists a 2013 Outback excessive-oil-consumption problem averaging $1,500 at 59,000 miles. That is a moderate repair cost next to some others in this gallery.
Averages come from owners who reported the problem, so an individual outcome can differ. A used 2013 Outback buyer can ask how oil level has been tracked and whether any repair has been done. Asking the seller for receipts on major repairs can reveal whether a known problem was already addressed.
6. Subaru Forester: Forester Oil Problem
Forester owners filed 1,087 complaints, and the Subaru model listing flags a 2014 Forester high-oil-consumption problem averaging $2,000 at 33,000 miles. The mileage is notable, since that is early compared with other problems in these galleries.
As with every figure on the site, the dollar amount reflects reports rather than a guaranteed bill. A 2014 Forester shopper can ask for oil-related service records and check recall status. None of this proves how a particular car will behave, which is why the individual vehicle’s record matters most.
7. Subaru Legacy: Legacy Tops 365
Subaru’s Legacy sedan recorded 365 complaints on the CarComplaints Subaru page, far fewer than the Outback’s 1,586 or the Forester’s 1,087. The source offers the total without naming a particular failure.
A smaller count still deserves a look at the specific model year. Buyers can lean on service records and recall data, keeping in mind that these numbers are owner reports and not proof of a defect. Comparing a model’s total with its siblings on the same brand page gives better context than the number alone.
8. Mazda CX-5: Acceleration Complaint
CX-5 owners filed 581 complaints, and the Mazda complaints page lists a 2019 CX-5 report of unexplained acceleration while the brakes were applied, averaging $2,600 at 14,000 miles. The low mileage stands out.
This is an owner-reported problem on a website and not a confirmed finding about the vehicle. A 2019 CX-5 shopper can check the NHTSA recall record for that vehicle and ask about any dealer repair history. Pairing the count with a vehicle history report and an independent mechanic’s inspection gives a fuller picture than any complaint site can.
9. Mazda CX-9: CX-9 Gets 337
Mazda’s three-row CX-9 collected 337 complaints on the CarComplaints Mazda listing, putting it just ahead of the Mazda6’s 321. Both trail the CX-5, which leads this Mazda set with 581.
The page gives a count and no named problem for the CX-9, so the number can only prompt further checking. Prospective owners can use recall lookups and maintenance records to fill in what the tally leaves out. Complaint sites also tend to attract owners with problems, so the numbers skew toward trouble by design.
10. Mazda6: Mazda6 at 321
Mazda6 owners filed 321 complaints, as shown on the Mazda model tally. That is a few reports shy of the CX-9 and a little over half the CX-5’s total, which makes the sedan a mid-sized entry in this group.
Without a named defect, 321 reads as a measure of owner attention and not a diagnosis. A used-car buyer can check for open recalls and ask for the car’s maintenance history before committing. A sensible step is to look up the exact model year, since totals combine every year the model was sold.
11. Mazda MX-5 Miata: Miata’s Short List
The MX-5 Miata drew only 60 complaints on the CarComplaints Mazda page, by far the lowest number among these eleven models. Its inclusion shows how a small sports car can still appear on a brand’s complaint ranking.
Because 60 is modest and the source names no fault, it offers little reason for alarm on its own. Owners-reported counts are still no substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific car. Asking the seller for receipts on major repairs can reveal whether a known problem was already addressed.
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