Mazda Mx-5: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mazda Mx-5 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 0.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 91,266 individual Mazda Mx-5 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 77.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 23 in every 100 Mazda Mx-5s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Mazda Mx-5 tested had covered 64,758 miles and was built around 2008.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Mazda Mx-5 bought as a repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

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 Mx-5 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 what damaged Mazda Mx-5s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mazda Mx-5

1. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2% of tests (8.83x the national rate for this defect)
2. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 1.5% of tests (5.25x the national rate for this defect)
3. Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits, 1.1% of tests (5.17x the national rate for this defect)
4. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 1.7% of tests (4.67x the national rate for this defect)
5. 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, 3.5% of tests (4.18x the national rate for this defect)
6. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 1.6% of tests (4.01x the national rate for this defect)
7. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.4% of tests (3.16x the national rate for this defect)
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.6% of tests (1.56x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.8% of tests (1.37x the national rate for this defect)
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1.9% of tests

From 155,911 DVSA-tracked Mazda Mx-5 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.17% of these flagged Mazda Mx-5 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Mazda Mx-5 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Mazda Mx-5 year:

• 1990 Mazda Mx-5 - 73.6% first-time pass, 693 tests
• 1991 Mazda Mx-5 - 72.1% first-time pass, 778 tests
• 1992 Mazda Mx-5 - 71.7% first-time pass, 575 tests
• 1993 Mazda Mx-5 - 70.8% first-time pass, 542 tests
• 1994 Mazda Mx-5 - 72.5% first-time pass, 520 tests
• 1995 Mazda Mx-5 - 68.9% first-time pass, 769 tests
• 1996 Mazda Mx-5 - 70.3% first-time pass, 1,187 tests
• 1997 Mazda Mx-5 - 70.1% first-time pass, 1,817 tests
• 1998 Mazda Mx-5 - 72% first-time pass, 2,501 tests
• 1999 Mazda Mx-5 - 68.3% first-time pass, 2,605 tests
• 2000 Mazda Mx-5 - 68.3% first-time pass, 2,601 tests
• 2001 Mazda Mx-5 - 69.6% first-time pass, 1,854 tests
• 2002 Mazda Mx-5 - 69.9% first-time pass, 3,019 tests
• 2003 Mazda Mx-5 - 68.8% first-time pass, 3,938 tests
• 2004 Mazda Mx-5 - 69.4% first-time pass, 3,071 tests
• 2005 Mazda Mx-5 - 68.5% first-time pass, 3,193 tests
• 2006 Mazda Mx-5 - 69.5% first-time pass, 6,220 tests
• 2007 Mazda Mx-5 - 74.1% first-time pass, 7,579 tests
• 2008 Mazda Mx-5 - 74.6% first-time pass, 5,336 tests
• 2009 Mazda Mx-5 - 76.2% first-time pass, 4,186 tests
• 2010 Mazda Mx-5 - 78% first-time pass, 4,663 tests
• 2011 Mazda Mx-5 - 79.1% first-time pass, 3,373 tests
• 2012 Mazda Mx-5 - 82.2% first-time pass, 3,090 tests
• 2013 Mazda Mx-5 - 84.2% first-time pass, 3,098 tests
• 2014 Mazda Mx-5 - 85.7% first-time pass, 2,846 tests
• 2015 Mazda Mx-5 - 88.5% first-time pass, 2,974 tests
• 2016 Mazda Mx-5 - 89.3% first-time pass, 4,093 tests
• 2017 Mazda Mx-5 - 92.3% first-time pass, 4,548 tests
• 2018 Mazda Mx-5 - 93% first-time pass, 4,287 tests
• 2019 Mazda Mx-5 - 94.2% first-time pass, 4,046 tests
• 2021 Mazda Mx-5 - 97% first-time pass, 297 tests

Other Mazda models

• Mazda 2 - 73.4%
• Mazda 3 - 73.4%
• 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

• Suzuki Swift - 77.3%
• Citroen C3 Picasso - 77.3%
• Citroen Dispatch 1200 En-Prise Bhdi Ss - 77.3%
• Mercedes-Benz Citan 109 Pure Cdi - 77.2%
• Vauxhall Cavalier - 77.2%
• Volkswagen Golf - 77.1%

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

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate