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Mazda 3 tamura vs Mazda Mx-5: reliability comparison

MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.

Mazda 3 tamura
88%
MOT pass rate · 173 vehicles
More reliable
Mazda Mx-5
77%
MOT pass rate · 162,634 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate, the Mazda 3 tamura is the more reliable of the two — 88% pass first time versus 77%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.

Head to head

Measure Mazda 3 tamura Mazda Mx-5
MOT pass rate 88% ✓ 77%
MOT failure rate 12% ✓ 23%
Faults & advisories per test 0.0 ✓ 1.8
Dangerous-fault share 0% ✓ 1%
Average mileage 94,734 mi 90,085 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 173 162,634

Most common faults

Mazda 3 tamura

  1. Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))
  2. Rear Upper Stop lamp(s) non-obligatory stop lamp not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))
  3. Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt
  4. Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)
  5. Both rear tyre treads cracking
  6. Headlamp aim too high BOTH (4.1.2 (a))

Mazda Mx-5

  1. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  2. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  3. Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
  4. Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
  5. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  6. Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate, the Mazda 3 tamura is the more reliable of the two — 88% pass first time versus 77%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.

Full Mazda 3 tamura report Full Mazda Mx-5 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.