1989 Mazda MX-6

The federal record shows that the early‑1990s (1990‑1992) experienced modest complaint volumes (16‑18 complaints) with only one recall each year and low investigative activity, indicating a relatively clean period for the model line. Starting in 1993, complaints surged to 59 and recalls jumped to three, while technical service bulletins (TSBs) more than doubled, marking the beginning of a pronounced reliability dip that persisted through the mid‑1990s before tapering off again by 1998‑1999 (zero complaints and a single recall). Because the 1989 MX‑6 sits just before this upward spike, its pattern is expected to resemble the low‑complaint, low‑recall environment of 1990‑1992 rather than the later trouble‑prone years. The top complaint categories for the target year—seat belts, seats, engine cooling and vehicle speed control—are limited in number and severity, with only two crash‑related complaints and no fire reports. **Takeaway:** 1989 falls in the more reliable early segment of the generation, making it a comparatively safe used‑car year to consider.