Mazda Mx-5 vs Mazda Z3: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Mazda Mx-5
77%
MOT pass rate · 162,634 vehicles
Mazda Z3
45%
MOT pass rate · 1 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Mazda Mx-5 (77%) and Mazda Z3 (45%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Head to head
| Measure | Mazda Mx-5 | Mazda Z3 |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 77% ✓ | 45% |
| MOT failure rate | 23% ✓ | 55% |
| Faults & advisories per test | 1.8 ✓ | 6.1 |
| Dangerous-fault share | 1% | 0% ✓ |
| Average mileage | 90,085 mi | 95,822 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 162,634 | 1 |
Most common faults
Mazda Mx-5
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
- Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
Mazda Z3
- Fuel pipe/s corroded
- Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)
- Offside Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)
- surface rust on various metal brake pies.
- Offside Front Seat belt retracting mechanism defective drivers (5.2.5b)
- Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate the Mazda Mx-5 (77%) and Mazda Z3 (45%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.
Full Mazda Mx-5 report Full Mazda Z3 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.