Head-to-head reliability
Mazda RX 8 vs Toyota Camry
How the Mazda RX 8 and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Mazda RX 8 vs Toyota Camry: The RX 8 averaged 90.4 complaints per year over 9 years, while the Camry averaged 205.6 over 10 years. The RX 8 had 42 recalls and 25 injuries; the Camry had 31 recalls and 158 injuries. Both have serious reported issues. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Mazda RX 8 or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Mazda RX 8
The Mazda RX 8 is a sports coupe with a rotary engine, and its complaint pattern suggests it demands more attention than a typical used car. Over 9 years, it averaged 90.4 complaints per year, with the most frequent issues in the power train, engine cooling, air bags, and steering. Owners report serious symptoms like loss of acceleration, clutch failure, oil cooler line corrosion, and steering loss, which can be costly and dangerous. With 42 recalls, including Takata air bag inflators, living with an RX 8 means staying on top of safety recalls and maintenance.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a mainstream sedan known for dependability, but the data shows it is not trouble-free. Over 10 years, it averaged 205.6 complaints per year, with common issues in the power train, engine, brakes, and electrical system. Owners describe problems such as delayed throttle response, shuddering, stuck ignition keys, and brake noises. Although it has fewer recalls (31) than the RX 8, the higher complaint volume and 1 death suggest that even popular cars can have recurring faults.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Mazda RX 8 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 814 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 42 | 31 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 33 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 90.4 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 25 Better | 158 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Mazda RX 8
- 01POWER TRAIN239
- 02ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING150
- 03AIR BAGS117
- 04STEERING112
- 05ENGINE50
Owners report sudden loss of acceleration, smoke from under the hood and shifter area, and clutch pedals becoming unresponsive. These failures can leave you stranded or cause dangerous driving situations.
Oil cooler lines rust and corrode from road salt, spraying oil onto the engine, tires, and brakes, which can cause loss of traction. This is a serious safety and environmental hazard.
Takata air bag inflator recalls affect many RX 8s, and owners report dashboard deterioration exposing air bags. Parts may be unavailable, delaying repairs and leaving you at risk.
Power steering can partially fail during turns, making the wheel hard to hold or straighten. In one case, a piece of the steering column broke and hit the driver's leg, showing a potential for injury.
“I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND AS I WAS SHIFTING GEARS I FELT THE CAR DID NOT HAVE ANY ACCELERATION. THE TOP SPEED I GOT TO WAS 55MPH. WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO GET OFF THE CAR, I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND FROM INSIDE WHERE THE SHIFT KNOW IS LOCATED. I CH…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MAZDA RX-8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CLUTCH PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THE GEAR DID NOT IMMEDIATELY SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE W…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners of 2023 Camrys report the ignition key getting stuck in Park, requiring battery disconnection to remove. Others describe hesitation and shuddering with the check engine light on, pointing to transmission or engine control issues.
Delayed throttle response is a recurring complaint: pressing the gas pedal results in a several-second delay before the car moves. This can be dangerous when merging or crossing traffic.
The electronic parking brake may fail to disengage, requiring a tow. Owners also hear clicking or vibrating from the brake pedal area, which dealers attribute to the ABS system but owners find abnormal.
Multiple driver-assist systems—stability control, power steering, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping—can malfunction simultaneously. This suggests complex electronic faults that may be hard to diagnose and fix.
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and shuddering, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Mazda RX 8 — 42 recalls
The defect: Mazda North America Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2003-2008 Mazda6, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 and 2004 MPV vehicles nationwide. Mazda is also recalling 2005-2006 MPV vehicles in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Ind…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2018…
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2010-2011 Mazda RX-8 vehicles that were previously recalled under recall 18V-716 but have not yet been repaired. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as…
The risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge. The recall began July 9, 201…
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 RX-8 and 2006-2007 MazdaSpeed6 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the fuel pump mounting rings.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will install new fuel pump mounting rings. Dealers will also add a thermal insulation pad to the fuel tank on RX-8 vehicles. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 17, 2021. Owners…
The defect: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2009-2011 RX-8 and 2006-2007 MazdaSpeed6 vehicles. Fuel may leak from the fuel pump mounting rings.
The risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will install new fuel pump mounting rings. Dealers will also add a thermal insulation pad to the fuel tank on RX-8 vehicles. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 17, 2021. Owners…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
Mazda RX 8 or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Mazda RX 8 has fewer complaints per year (90.4) than the Toyota Camry (205.6), but the RX 8's issues are often more severe, involving sudden power loss, oil leaks, and steering failure. The Camry's higher complaint count reflects its larger sales volume, yet its problems tend to be less immediately dangerous, though still annoying and potentially costly. In practice, the RX 8 demands more vigilance and may be riskier, while the Camry may have more frequent but generally less critical faults.
Key differences
- The RX 8 has a much lower complaint rate per year (90.4 vs. 205.6), but its complaints often involve sudden loss of power, clutch failure, and steering column breakage, which can be immediately hazardous.
- The Camry's most common complaints are about delayed throttle response, stuck ignition keys, and brake noises—annoying and potentially dangerous, but less likely to cause a sudden loss of control.
- Air bag recalls are a major theme for the RX 8 (Takata inflators), while the Camry's recalls include seat and air bag sensor issues, but fewer total recalls (31 vs. 42).
- The RX 8's oil cooler line corrosion from road salt is a unique, serious problem that can cause oil to spray on tires and brakes, while the Camry's electrical gremlins can disable multiple safety systems at once.
- Inspect the oil cooler lines for rust or corrosion, especially if the car has been driven in winter salt states—this can lead to oil spraying and loss of traction.
- Test the steering at low speeds and during turns for any hesitation or stiffness, and check the steering column for looseness or broken pieces.
- Check for delayed throttle response by pressing the gas pedal from a stop—if the car hesitates for several seconds, it could be a recurring engine or transmission issue.
- Test the electronic parking brake and listen for clicking or vibrating noises from the brake pedal area, which may indicate ABS problems.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all safety recalls (especially air bags) have been completed.
- Have a mechanic inspect the RX 8's oil cooler lines, clutch operation, and steering system for wear or damage.
- For the Camry, test the ignition key removal, throttle response, and all electronic driver-assist features during a test drive.
- Check for any signs of rust or corrosion underneath the RX 8, particularly around oil lines and brake components.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records and be wary if the Camry has had repeated electrical or brake repairs.
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Mazda RX 8 or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Mazda RX 8 vs Toyota Camry
- Mazda RX 8 total complaints
- 814
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- Mazda RX 8 total recalls
- 42
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Mazda RX 8 avg complaints/year
- 90.4
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- Mazda RX 8
- Mazda RX 8 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN