How reliable is the Mazda CX-7 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Mazda CX-7, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 56.6% across 991 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What do testers most often warn about on a Mazda CX-7?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 34.7% of all Mazda CX-7 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Mazda CX-7 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 107,773 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Mazda CX-7 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Mazda CX-7 cars tested, 73% are diesel, 27% are petrol. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Mazda CX-7 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 991 recorded MOT tests of the Mazda CX-7, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 991 MOT tests, 56.6% of Mazda CX-7 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Mazda CX-7 fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, which appears in 25.2% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 107,773 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

56.6%unadjusted, not comparable991 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the CX-7. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 991 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Mazda CX-7 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning25.2%
94 occurrencesLamp not working explained
2.A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play22.3%
83 occurrencesBall joint worn explained
3.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn11.3%
42 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
4.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements10.7%
40 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
5.Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement10.5%
39 occurrencesParking brake efficiency too low explained
6.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements9.7%
36 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
7.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc9.4%
35 occurrencesSuspension joint dust cover missing or split explained
8.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.6%
32 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained
9.A tyre cords visible or damaged8.0%
30 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
10.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements7.8%
29 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Mazda CX-7 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements34.7%
344 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded26.5%
263 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
3.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded23.0%
228 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
4.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured19.5%
193 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn19.1%
189 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
6.Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow9.5%
94 testsLamp of the wrong colour, position or intensity explained
7.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users9.0%
89 tests
8.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.9%
88 testsBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained

What gets tested

The CX-7 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 107,773
Fuel mix of tested cars: Diesel72.7%
Petrol27.0%

Check a specific Mazda CX-7

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Mazda models

Mazda 2 — 69.8% adjusted
Mazda 3 — 70.6% adjusted
Mazda MX-5 — 77.2% adjusted
Mazda CX-5 — 78.5% adjusted
Mazda 6 — 73.3% adjusted
Mazda CX-3 — 83.5% unadjusted
All Mazda models

Common questions

How reliable is the Mazda CX-7 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Mazda CX-7, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 56.6% across 991 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Mazda CX-7?: The item recorded most often is "A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning", which appears in 25.2% of failed Mazda CX-7 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Mazda CX-7?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 34.7% of all Mazda CX-7 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Mazda CX-7 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 107,773 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Mazda CX-7 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Mazda CX-7 cars tested, 73% are diesel, 27% are petrol. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.