Make overview
Mazda MOT pass rates by model
Data updated
Quick answer
Mazda cars pass 72.8% of MOT tests across 530,241 recorded tests, against a national average of 72.3%. Of the 22 Mazda models with MOT data, the CX-5 has the highest age-adjusted pass rate at 78.5% and the 2 the lowest at 69.8%. The item recorded most often on a failed Mazda is spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
- Tests analysed
- 530,241
- Adjusted pass rate
- 73.3%
- Models with data
- 22
Adjusted for age and mileage
Mazda models ranked by pass rate
| Model | Adjusted pass rate | National rank | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda CX-5 | 78.5% | 71 of 262 | 72,672 |
| Mazda MX-5 | 77.2% | 85 of 262 | 90,753 |
| Mazda 6 | 73.3% | 132 of 262 | 56,485 |
| Mazda 3 | 70.6% | 164 of 262 | 104,858 |
| Mazda 2 | 69.8% | 173 of 262 | 127,502 |
Unadjusted, not ranked
Other Mazda models with MOT data
These models have at least 500 recorded tests, but their tested examples do not span enough ages and mileages to rank fairly. Their failure and advisory patterns are still drawn from real tests.
| Model | Unadjusted pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Mazda CX-3 | 83.5% | 25,300 |
| Mazda CX-30 | 91.3% | 20,888 |
| Mazda Bongo | 54.1% | 8,769 |
| Mazda 5 | 52.9% | 8,764 |
| Mazda MX-30 | 90.0% | 2,620 |
| Mazda RX-8 | 68.1% | 2,520 |
| Mazda B Series | 59.4% | 1,433 |
| Mazda 323 | 60.1% | 1,082 |
| Mazda CX-7 | 56.6% | 991 |
| Mazda CX-60 | 91.5% | 855 |
| Mazda Bongo Friendee | 69.6% | 832 |
| Mazda Eunos | 66.3% | 784 |
| Mazda BT-50 | 59.4% | 748 |
| Mazda E Series | 58.6% | 742 |
| Mazda Demio | 56.9% | 554 |
| Mazda RX-7 | 86.4% | 552 |
| Mazda Mpv | 52.7% | 537 |
Across the range
What Mazda cars fail on most
Share of failed Mazda tests recording each item, summed across every model above.
- 1.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened15.5%
- 2.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn13.3%
- 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning10.9%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm10.3%
- 5.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.6%
- 6.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen9.1%
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate for Mazda?
- Across 530,241 recorded MOT tests, 72.8% of Mazda tests ended in a pass, against a national average of 72.3%. Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the figure is 73.3%. A make-level figure blends very different cars, so the individual model pages are the more useful comparison.
- Which Mazda is the most reliable on MOT evidence?
- Of the Mazda models with enough data to compare fairly, the CX-5 has the highest age-and-mileage-adjusted pass rate at 78.5%, ranking 71 of 262 models nationally. This reflects how often cars meet the MOT standard, not how often they break down.
- What do Mazda cars most often fail their MOT on?
- The most commonly recorded failure item across Mazda tests is "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened", appearing in 15.5% of failed tests. One failed test can list several items, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
- Why do some Mazda models not have a pass rate ranking?
- A model is only ranked when its tested examples cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages for a fair comparison. 5 of the 22 Mazda models here qualify. For the rest we publish the unadjusted rate and the failure patterns, but not a rank, because comparing unadjusted rates mostly sorts cars by how new they are.
How to read these figures
Why the adjusted rate is the fair one
An unadjusted pass rate is strongly driven by the age and mileage of the cars being tested, not by how well they were built. A model bought mainly as a lightly used second car will look better than an identical car sold to high-mileage drivers. Adjusting for age and mileage compares each model against cars that have lived a similar life.
For a specific car, its own record beats any model average — check that vehicle’s MOT history and read what testers actually recorded against it.
Check any vehicle's MOT history
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