Mazda 3 MOT pass rate: 73.9% (103,889 tests, 2025)

The Mazda 3 passed 73.9% of its 103,889 MOT tests in 2025 — 3.6 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 10 years old with 73,079 miles on the clock.

73.9%Pass rate (2025)

103,889MOT tests analysed

73,079 miMedian mileage at test

10 yrsMedian age at test

How the 3 compares

Mazda 3

73.9%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Mazda average (all models)

77.3%

What fails most on the Mazda 3

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the 3:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	21,737	32.9%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	13,188	19.9%
3	Brakes	11,510	17.4%
4	Tyres	8,663	13.1%
5	Visibility	3,647	5.5%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	3,529	5.3%

Pre-MOT checklist for 3 owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Replace smeared wiper blades and top up washer fluid — both are test items

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

3 pass rate by registration year

Lower age-adjusted outliers to inspect carefully: 2004, 2005, 2017. Strongest age-adjusted years: 2019, 2022. Full ranking and method: Mazda 3 years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2004	2,257	58.6%	-5.7 pts	96,388
2005	7,744	59.0%	-5.5 pts	102,678
2006	11,162	60.6%	-3.8 pts	103,732
2007	15,111	61.4%	-3.8 pts	101,863
2008	18,261	60.4%	-4.7 pts	97,981
2009	22,086	64.3%	-2.1 pts	98,248
2010	24,373	66.7%	-0.7 pts	96,826
2011	15,945	66.4%	-2.7 pts	90,221
2012	14,586	72.1%	+0.9 pts	86,556
2013	15,195	75.5%	+2.1 pts	75,570
2014	24,835	74.7%	-1.1 pts	72,514
2015	34,878	75.8%	-2.9 pts	67,232
2016	31,393	77.2%	-4.1 pts	58,044
2017	24,332	78.6%	-5.4 pts	48,620
2018	20,748	86.1%	-0.3 pts	39,441
2019	12,909	91.6%	+3.3 pts	31,248
2020	12,210	92.5%	+2.6 pts	25,514
2021	7,562	92.6%	+2.2 pts	24,456
2022	2,398	94.9%	+3.6 pts	22,732

Check a specific 3 before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Mazda models

273.1% pass rate · 113,741 tests Mx-578.2% pass rate · 87,222 tests Cx-581.1% pass rate · 57,112 tests 673.6% pass rate · 55,083 tests Cx-386.5% pass rate · 24,672 tests 560.4% pass rate · 8,754 tests Bongo59.5% pass rate · 8,682 tests Cx-3093.6% pass rate · 4,440 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Mazda 3?

In 2025, 73.9% of 103,889 first MOT tests on the Mazda 3 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the 3 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is suspension (32.9% of its recorded defects), followed by lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.

Is the Mazda 3 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 73.9% it performs below the national average at a median age of 10 years and 73,079 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.