Diesel Mazda Cx-3: MOT pass rate

84.6% of diesel Mazda Cx-3s pass the MOT first time, measured across 2,950 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 64,037.

Diesel against the other Mazda Cx-3 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Mazda Cx-3 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 88.7%, and this diesel version sits 3.6 points below the 88.2% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Mazda Cx-3 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Mazda Cx-3 had covered 64,037 miles at test, against 41,650 for the petrol. That is around average, so condition and service history will tell you more than the odometer does.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Mazda Cx-3 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Mazda Cx-3

1. Seat belt retractor not functioning as intended, 1.2% of tests (32.5x the national rate for this defect)
2. Seat belt not functioning as intended or of an incorrect type, 0.8% of tests (9.75x the national rate for this defect)
3. Smoke opacity levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limit, 0.6% of tests (2.14x the national rate for this defect)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.5% of tests
5. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.5% of tests
6. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.1% of tests
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.1% of tests
8. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 1.5% of tests
9. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.3% of tests
10. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1% of tests

From 2,958 DVSA-tracked diesel Mazda Cx-3 tests, 2024, split out from the Mazda Cx-3's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 5.8% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel Mazda Cx-3

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 13.2% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 8.7% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 24.5% of tests, also fails
4. A tyre seriously damaged, 15.6% of tests, also fails
5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 11.7% of tests
6. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 3.3% of tests
7. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.5% of tests
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2% of tests
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.5% of tests
10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.9% of tests

From 2,958 DVSA-tracked diesel Mazda Cx-3 tests, 2024.

Other Mazda Cx-3 fuel types

• Petrol Mazda Cx-3 - 88.7%

All Mazda Cx-3 MOT data · Every model