2009 Mazda Rx-8: MOT pass rate and reliability
75% of 2009 Mazda Rx-8s pass the MOT first time, measured across 280 DVSA tests on that model year alone. The average one had covered 66,101 miles.
How the 2009 compares
- Against all Mazda Rx-8s (71.8%, 2,924 tests): +3.2 points
- Against all 2009 cars (66.1%): +8.9 points
- National first-time pass rate, all cars and years: 77%
Every Mazda Rx-8 model year
Pass rates fall as cars age, so the only fair comparison for a 2009 car is other cars of the same age. The full run for the Mazda Rx-8:
| Year | Pass rate | Tests | Avg mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 69.7% | 492 | 66,460 |
| 2005 | 68.4% | 380 | 66,367 |
| 2006 | 71.3% | 557 | 66,477 |
| 2007 | 72.8% | 610 | 65,426 |
| 2008 | 69.8% | 397 | 66,641 |
| 2009 | 75% | 280 | 66,101 |
What this means if you are buying a 2009 Rx-8
The 2009 is one of the stronger years for this model, passing 3.2 points more often than the Mazda Rx-8 average. That is a point in its favour, though condition and service history still matter more than the model year. Check the exact car with the free MOT history checker before you buy, and run its VIN and mileage through our free VIN decoder and clocking check.
What a 17-year-old car fails on
A 2009 car is 17 years old now, and age drives the failure mix more than the badge does. Across all cars tested, these are the categories that actually cause failures:
- Lights and electrical: 10.36% of all cars tested
- Suspension: 8.65% of all cars tested
- Tyres: 6.23% of all cars tested
- Brakes: 6.1% of all cars tested
- Visibility: wipers, washers, glass: 4.65% of all cars tested
- Body, chassis and structure: 3.18% of all cars tested
That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age. On a 2009 Mazda Rx-8 the average at test was 66,101 miles, so treat anything far above that as a car that has worked harder than its peers, and anything far below as one worth checking for the faults that come from standing still.
2009 is the strongest year on record for this model at 75%, ahead of every other year we hold data for.
Nearby model years
- 2006 Mazda Rx-8 - 71.3%
- 2007 Mazda Rx-8 - 72.8%
- 2008 Mazda Rx-8 - 69.8%