Mazda 121 gsi 16 vs Mazda 3: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Mazda 121 gsi 16
73%
MOT pass rate · 4 vehicles
Mazda 3
78%
MOT pass rate · 164,058 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Mazda 121 gsi 16 (73%) and Mazda 3 (78%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Head to head
| Measure | Mazda 121 gsi 16 | Mazda 3 |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 73% | 78% ✓ |
| MOT failure rate | 27% | 22% ✓ |
| Faults & advisories per test | 2.7 | 2.0 ✓ |
| Dangerous-fault share | 0% ✓ | 3% |
| Average mileage | 67,732 mi | 90,915 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 4 | 164,058 |
Most common faults
Mazda 121 gsi 16
- Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)
- Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)
- Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
- both rear outer sills corroded
- exhuast corroded
- front coil spring top corroded x2 and both rear coil springs corroded
Mazda 3
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate the Mazda 121 gsi 16 (73%) and Mazda 3 (78%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Full Mazda 121 gsi 16 report Full Mazda 3 report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.