Mazda 2: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mazda 2 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 3.3 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 119,486 individual Mazda 2 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 73.4% first-time pass rate means roughly 27 in every 100 Mazda 2s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Mazda 2 tested had covered 65,339 miles and was built around 2013.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Mazda 2 sits 3.3 points below the national average, ranked 1,668 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Mazda 2 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Mazda 2: £350 at UK salvage auction, from 9 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Mazda 2

1. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 3.4% of tests (3.14x the national rate for this defect)
2. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 3.6% of tests (2.77x the national rate for this defect)
3. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.4% of tests (2.52x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.3% of tests (1.65x the national rate for this defect)
5. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 3.6% of tests (1.6x the national rate for this defect)
6. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 3% of tests (1.58x the national rate for this defect)
7. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3.6% of tests (1.54x the national rate for this defect)
8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.3% of tests (1.48x the national rate for this defect)
9. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 1.4% of tests (1.45x the national rate for this defect)
10. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.7% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this defect)

From 119,385 DVSA-tracked Mazda 2 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.56% of these flagged Mazda 2 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Mazda 2

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Mazda 2 before it actually fails on it.

1. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 4.4% of tests (3.93x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 18.9% of tests (3.05x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 3.9% of tests (2.59x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 3.4% of tests (2.57x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 2.3% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this advisory)
6. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 9.5% of tests (1.83x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A tyre seriously damaged, 20.8% of tests (1.35x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 5.8% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 25.1% of tests
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.8% of tests, also fails

From 119,385 DVSA-tracked Mazda 2 tests, 2024.

Mazda 2 pass rate by model year

From its 2003 to its 2019 model year, the Mazda 2's first-time pass rate has risen 23.7 points, from 68.4% to 92.1%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Mazda 2 year:

• 2003 Mazda 2 - 68.4% first-time pass, 373 tests
• 2004 Mazda 2 - 65% first-time pass, 852 tests
• 2005 Mazda 2 - 64.4% first-time pass, 1,083 tests
• 2006 Mazda 2 - 66.7% first-time pass, 1,228 tests
• 2007 Mazda 2 - 65.3% first-time pass, 2,656 tests
• 2008 Mazda 2 - 60% first-time pass, 7,787 tests
• 2009 Mazda 2 - 62.1% first-time pass, 12,110 tests
• 2010 Mazda 2 - 63.2% first-time pass, 12,357 tests
• 2011 Mazda 2 - 66.1% first-time pass, 10,585 tests
• 2012 Mazda 2 - 68.8% first-time pass, 8,858 tests
• 2013 Mazda 2 - 70.3% first-time pass, 8,580 tests
• 2014 Mazda 2 - 73.5% first-time pass, 8,422 tests
• 2015 Mazda 2 - 81.8% first-time pass, 9,946 tests
• 2016 Mazda 2 - 84.8% first-time pass, 10,080 tests
• 2017 Mazda 2 - 88.6% first-time pass, 7,679 tests
• 2018 Mazda 2 - 90.1% first-time pass, 8,119 tests
• 2019 Mazda 2 - 92.1% first-time pass, 8,203 tests

Mazda 2 by fuel type

The Mazda 2's two most-tested fuel types split by 9.8 points: petrol passes first time 74% of the time (115,832 tests) against 64.2% for diesel (3,103 tests).

• Petrol Mazda 2 - 74% first-time pass, 115,832 tests
• Diesel Mazda 2 - 64.2% first-time pass, 3,103 tests

Other Mazda models

• Mazda 3 - 73.4%
• Mazda Mx-5 - 77.2%
• Mazda 6 - 74%
• Mazda Cx-5 - 83.1%
• Mazda Cx-3 - 88%
• Mazda 5 - 59%
• Mazda Bongo - 58.1%
• Mazda 2 GT Sport Nav Mhev - 93.9%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Subaru Forester - 73.5%
• Volkswagen Unclassified - 73.5%
• Honda Civic - 73.4%
• Mazda 3 - 73.4%
• Mitsubishi Shogun - 73.3%
• Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - 73.3%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate