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Mazda 3 vs Mazda S36l-5ab: reliability comparison

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

Mazda 3
78%
MOT pass rate · 164,058 vehicles
Mazda S36l-5ab
73%
MOT pass rate · 1 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Mazda 3 (78%) and Mazda S36l-5ab (73%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Head to head

Measure Mazda 3 Mazda S36l-5ab
MOT pass rate 78% ✓ 73%
MOT failure rate 22% ✓ 27%
Faults & advisories per test 2.0 ✓ 2.5
Dangerous-fault share 3% 0% ✓
Average mileage 90,915 mi 128,491 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 164,058 1

Most common faults

Mazda 3

  1. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  2. Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  3. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  4. Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))
  5. Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  6. Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Mazda S36l-5ab

  1. Rear fog lamp slightly discoloured (1.3.2e)
  2. Offside Front Fog light not working
  3. Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))
  4. Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))
  5. Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  6. Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate the Mazda 3 (78%) and Mazda S36l-5ab (73%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Mazda 3 report Full Mazda S36l-5ab 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.