How reliable is the Mazda E Series compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Mazda E Series, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages.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 58.6% across 742 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 E Series?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 16.0% of all Mazda E Series tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Mazda E Series usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 119,390 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.

Which Mazda E Series years are the most reliable?

Going by MOT pass rate, Mazda E Series cars first registered 2017–2019 do best at 59.3%, and those registered 2010 and earlier do worst at 58.5%. But that ordering is mostly age, not build year: almost every model passes less often as it wears, so the newest cars top this list whatever they are. A specific year looking strong here means little on its own; the failure items above, and the individual car's own MOT history, tell you far more.

Does a Mazda E Series get harder to pass as it ages?

Yes. At 6 to 8 years old, 59.3% of Mazda E Series tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 58.5%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.

Are most Mazda E Series models petrol or diesel?

Of the Mazda E Series cars tested, 81% are petrol, 19% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Mazda E Series MOT pass rate & common failures

From 742 recorded MOT tests of the Mazda E Series, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 742 MOT tests, 58.6% of Mazda E Series tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Mazda E Series 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 strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, which appears in 41.6% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 119,390 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

58.6%unadjusted, not comparable742 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the E Series. 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 742 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

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

1.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired41.6%
109 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
2.Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced21.4%
56 occurrencesCorrosion in a structural area explained
3.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements14.5%
38 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
4.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen13.7%
36 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
5.An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.9%
26 occurrencesLamp not working explained
6.A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc9.9%
26 occurrencesSuspension joint dust cover missing or split explained
7.Body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point9.5%
25 occurrencesCorrosion in a structural area explained
8.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired9.2%
24 occurrencesSeat belt anchorage corroded or weakened explained
9.Service brake efficiency below minimum requirement8.8%
23 occurrencesBraking efficiency below requirement explained
10.Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc8.4%
22 occurrencesSteering rack gaiter split, damaged or missing explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Mazda E Series 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 requirements16.0%
119 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.A tyre seriously damaged15.0%
111 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
3.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users15.0%
111 tests
4.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured13.2%
98 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
5.Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced13.2%
98 testsCorrosion in a structural area explained
6.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired11.7%
87 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
7.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded9.6%
71 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
8.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.2%
61 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained

The rest of the record

Everything else recorded on the Mazda E Series

The 16 other defects testers recorded on this model, beyond the most common listed above. Each links to what it means and what it takes to put right.

How wear changes the picture

E Series pass rate by age and registration year

How often the Mazda E Series passes at each age, with the years those cars were first registered. Tests are from 2025, so a car aged 6 to 8 was first used in 2017–2019.

6–8 yrsreg. 2017–201959%

9–11 yrsreg. 2014–201662%

15+ yrsreg. 2010 and earlier59%

Read this as an age curve rather than a verdict on particular model years. Nearly every car passes less often as it gets older, so a newer E Series outscoring an older one says more about wear than about how that year’s cars were built. Bands holding too few tests to be meaningful are omitted rather than shown as a rate.

What gets tested

The E Series fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 119,390
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol80.9%
Diesel19.1%

Check a specific Mazda E Series

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 E Series compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Mazda E Series, 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 58.6% across 742 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 E Series?: The item recorded most often is "The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired", which appears in 41.6% of failed Mazda E Series 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 E Series?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 16.0% of all Mazda E Series tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Mazda E Series usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 119,390 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.
Which Mazda E Series years are the most reliable?: Going by MOT pass rate, Mazda E Series cars first registered 2017–2019 do best at 59.3%, and those registered 2010 and earlier do worst at 58.5%. But that ordering is mostly age, not build year: almost every model passes less often as it wears, so the newest cars top this list whatever they are. A specific year looking strong here means little on its own; the failure items above, and the individual car's own MOT history, tell you far more.
Does a Mazda E Series get harder to pass as it ages?: Yes. At 6 to 8 years old, 59.3% of Mazda E Series tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 58.5%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.
Are most Mazda E Series models petrol or diesel?: Of the Mazda E Series cars tested, 81% are petrol, 19% are diesel. 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.