MOT pass rates / Mazda
Mazda MOT pass rates and common failures
Mazda cars passed 72% of their MOTs first time in 2024, across 464,373 class-4 initial tests and 21 model groups. That is above the 71.2% UK average, and ranks Mazda 32nd of 59 makes in the dataset.
Pass rates track age more strongly than badge: an older Mazda is compared here against older cars of every other make, so read the age table below before drawing conclusions about the brand.
Checking a Mazda?
Make-level pass rates cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
What Mazda cars fail on
The items most often behind a first-test failure across Mazda model groups, as a share of Mazda tests. DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes rather than every possible one.
- Suspension Arms — 3.9% of Mazda tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Condition — 3.1% of Mazda tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Position Lamps — 2.6% of Mazda tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Headlamp Aim — 2.1% of Mazda tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Anti-roll Bars — 2% of Mazda tests. Worn anti-roll bar links or bushes. Inexpensive but often recurring.
- Mechanical Brake Components — 1.9% of Mazda tests. Worn discs, pads or callipers. Routine wear, but it should be priced into the deal.
- Brake Performance — 1.9% of Mazda tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Springs — 1.4% of Mazda tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
Mazda MOT pass rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 66,185 | 89% |
| 6–9 years | 151,603 | 80.8% |
| 10–14 years | 128,551 | 65.2% |
| 15–30 years | 117,924 | 58.7% |
Mazda models by MOT pass rate
| Model | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 110,432 | 68.1% |
| 3 | 101,042 | 68.8% |
| Mx-5 | 81,811 | 74.2% |
| Cx-5 | 56,078 | 80.5% |
| 6 | 55,662 | 69.4% |
| Cx-3 | 20,212 | 85.2% |
| 5 | 8,199 | 51.6% |
| Bongo | 8,082 | 53.8% |
| 2 GT Sport NAV MHEV | 3,059 | 90.9% |
| Cx-30 | 2,966 | 91.9% |
| Rx-8 | 2,400 | 67% |
| Cx-30 Se-l LUX MHEV | 2,241 | 91.2% |
| Cx-5 Sport | 1,998 | 87.6% |
| Cx-30 GT Sport MHEV | 1,835 | 91.9% |
| 2 Sport NAV MHEV | 1,428 | 91.5% |
| 2 Se-l NAV MHEV | 1,271 | 91.4% |
| Cx-5 Sport Auto | 1,234 | 88.7% |
| Cx-30 GT Sport Tech MHEV | 1,182 | 92.6% |
| B Series | 1,128 | 59.5% |
| Cx-30 Sport LUX MHEV Auto | 1,088 | 92.5% |
| 323 | 1,025 | 57.8% |
How many Mazda vehicles are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 576,441 licensed and 80,398 SORN Mazda vehicles across 28 published model groups.
Licensed and SORN counts for every Mazda model
Before you buy
- Suspension Arms — 3.9% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Condition — 3.1% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Position Lamps — 2.6% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Headlamp Aim — 2.1% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Check the actual Mazda — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Common questions
What is the Mazda MOT pass rate?
72% of 464,373 class-4 initial MOT tests on Mazda cars passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average across all published models.
Which Mazda has the best MOT pass rate?
Of the Mazda model groups with a substantial sample, the Cx-3 has the highest initial pass rate at 85.2% across 20,212 tests. Pass rates track vehicle age closely, so newer model groups tend to sit higher.
Does a good Mazda pass rate mean the car I am looking at is fine?
No. A model-level rate describes a population, not one vehicle. Enter the registration for that car's own MOT, tax and mileage record, and check for outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before you buy.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that Mazda's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.