Skip to content

Mazda 301 vs Mazda Mx-5: reliability comparison

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

Mazda 301
93%
MOT pass rate · 2 vehicles
Mazda Mx-5
77%
MOT pass rate · 162,634 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Mazda 301 (93%) and Mazda Mx-5 (77%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Head to head

Measure Mazda 301 Mazda Mx-5
MOT pass rate 93% ✓ 77%
MOT failure rate 7% ✓ 23%
Faults & advisories per test 1.3 ✓ 1.8
Dangerous-fault share 0% ✓ 1%
Average mileage 223,818 mi 90,085 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 2 162,634

Most common faults

Mazda 301

  1. front wishbones / rear main anchorage bushes showing rubber fatigue ok at present
  2. Rear Rear fog lamp not working should be to osr of the vehicle (1.3.2b)
  3. Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)
  4. Offside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))
  5. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  6. Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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 301 (93%) and Mazda Mx-5 (77%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Mazda 301 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.