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MOT reliability

Mazda Mx-5

162,634 vehicles · 2,512,856 completed MOT tests analysed
77%
MOT pass rate

Based on 162,634 Mazda Mx-5 vehicles and 2,512,856 completed MOT tests, the Mazda Mx-5 has an overall 77% pass rate, with an average recorded mileage of 90,085 miles.

162,634
Vehicles
2,512,856
MOT tests
4,141
Avg miles / year
1.8
Faults per test
1%
Dangerous-fault share

Mazda Mx-5 problem areas

Where faults occur most across all Mazda Mx-5 MOT tests:

  • Other65%
  • Tyres, wheels & suspension22%
  • Brakes12%
  • Emissions & nuisance4%
  • Lamps & electrical3%
  • Body & structure3%
  • Seatbelts & equipment2%
  • Visibility2%

Mazda Mx-5 pass rate by age

How the Mazda Mx-5's MOT pass rate changes as it ages (buckets with 20+ tests).

Age (years)TestsPass rate
12,70176%
25,67380%
3106,15089%
4114,24288%
5122,26486%
6132,10285%
7141,77683%
8147,94381%
9150,25579%
10150,49177%
11148,75075%
12146,04674%
13141,89473%
14136,73872%
15131,79671%
16122,63871%
17108,90770%
1894,79570%
1978,84670%
2063,19970%

Fuel types: Petrol (161,886), Other (708), Diesel (26), LPG (9), Electric (3), Gas Bi-Fuel (2)

Most common Mazda Mx-5 MOT faults

These are the faults and advisories recorded most often across Mazda Mx-5 MOT tests:

  1. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) (60,371 times)
  2. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) (56,503 times)
  3. Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g) (51,162 times)
  4. Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g) (43,943 times)
  5. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) (41,208 times)
  6. Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i)) (35,001 times)
  7. Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1) (34,458 times)
  8. Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) (33,224 times)
  9. Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i)) (31,894 times)
  10. Oil leak (27,521 times)
  11. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e)) (26,347 times)
  12. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e)) (25,011 times)
  13. Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii)) (23,112 times)
  14. Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i)) (22,966 times)
  15. Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c) (22,831 times)

Mazda Mx-5 pass rate by registration year

YearVehiclesTestsPass rateAvg mileage
2024 1 2 50% 12,582
2023 68 75 93% 12,921
2022 363 641 93% 18,025
2021 295 819 94% 22,313
2020 182 663 93% 26,186
2019 4,021 19,865 93% 27,850
2018 4,296 26,013 92% 32,665
2017 4,637 33,779 92% 37,388
2016 4,178 34,262 90% 42,749
2015 3,053 28,229 89% 45,784
2014 2,940 31,086 88% 46,565
2013 3,226 37,906 87% 52,613
2012 3,250 42,109 86% 55,417
2011 3,611 51,618 85% 59,691
2010 5,079 78,201 84% 65,183
2009 4,701 77,763 82% 71,157
2008 6,215 112,548 79% 77,710
2007 9,456 177,149 79% 82,484
2006 8,832 170,530 78% 86,241
2005 5,870 112,869 77% 90,726
2004 7,372 140,436 76% 96,453
2003 10,356 203,294 75% 95,971
2002 8,722 166,716 75% 101,862
2001 5,609 103,833 74% 110,201
2000 7,957 147,157 72% 110,853
1999 9,011 157,614 72% 117,170
1998 8,831 147,320 72% 118,851
1997 5,700 95,915 71% 114,351
1996 4,078 66,652 70% 111,469
1995 2,897 45,082 69% 116,251
1994 2,059 30,251 69% 130,195
1993 2,154 31,470 69% 139,861
1992 2,511 35,448 69% 141,622
1991 3,582 49,741 68% 137,433
1990 3,487 45,584 68% 138,117
1989 333 4,333 67% 168,239
1985 1 22 68% 96,603
1983 1 26 65% 80,020
1972 1 2 50% 38,883
1971 20 191 66% 117,729

Mazda Mx-5 reliability FAQ

Across 162,634 Mazda Mx-5 vehicles in our MOT data, 77% pass the MOT (a 23% failure rate), with about 1.8 faults or advisories recorded per test.

The most frequently recorded Mazda Mx-5 MOT issues are: 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).

The typical Mazda Mx-5 in our data has covered around 90,085 miles.

Compare the Mazda Mx-5

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