Mazda 3 years to avoid — 317,985 MOT tests ranked

Inspect most carefully: 2004, 2005, 2017. Strongest in the data: 2019 or 2022. The ranking uses 317,985 MOT tests across 19 registration years (2023–2025) and compares each year with all UK cars of the same age. Fuel-type signal: diesels show an average 3.3-point pass-rate deficit on this model. That may reflect mileage and use as well as the car itself, so inspect DPF and emissions history rather than treating fuel type as a verdict.

Every 3 year, ranked

The age-adjusted MOT index sets 100 as the pass rate of all UK cars registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Higher is better. This prevents an old car being labelled a “bad year” simply because it is old.

RankYearIndexVs same-agePass rateTests
1 2022 Strong 103.6 +3.6 pts 94.9% 2,398
2 2019 Strong 103.3 +3.3 pts 91.6% 12,909
3 2020 102.6 +2.6 pts 92.5% 12,210
4 2021 102.2 +2.2 pts 92.6% 7,562
5 2013 102.1 +2.1 pts 75.5% 15,195
6 2012 100.9 +0.9 pts 72.1% 14,586
7 2018 99.7 -0.3 pts 86.1% 20,748
8 2010 99.3 -0.7 pts 66.7% 24,373
9 2014 98.9 -1.1 pts 74.7% 24,835
10 2009 97.9 -2.1 pts 64.3% 22,086
11 2011 97.3 -2.7 pts 66.4% 15,945
12 2015 97.1 -2.9 pts 75.8% 34,878
13 2007 96.2 -3.8 pts 61.4% 15,111
14 2006 96.2 -3.8 pts 60.6% 11,162
15 2016 95.9 -4.1 pts 77.2% 31,393
16 2008 95.3 -4.7 pts 60.4% 18,261
17 2017 Inspect 94.6 -5.4 pts 78.6% 24,332
18 2005 Inspect 94.5 -5.5 pts 59.0% 7,744
19 2004 Inspect 94.3 -5.7 pts 58.6% 2,257

Why 2004 and 2005 and 2017 rank lower

The 2017 cohort passes 78.6% of tests (-5.4 points versus same-age cars) at a median 48,620 miles, with suspension the leading failure system. The 2005 cohort passes 59.0% of tests (-5.5 points versus same-age cars) at a median 102,678 miles, with suspension the leading failure system. The 2004 cohort passes 58.6% of tests (-5.7 points versus same-age cars) at a median 96,388 miles, with suspension the leading failure system. This is population-level evidence, not a known-fault list: service history, engine version and the individual MOT record can outweigh the registration-year average.

How to use this before buying

  • Rankings describe the cohort, not the car. A cherished 2004 example beats a neglected 2019 one — always run the specific reg through the free MOT history check.
  • Read the advisories. Repeated notes for the same component across years mean the owner has been ignoring it. Decode them in our advisory library.
  • Fuel matters on this model. The diesel deficit (3.3 points) usually traces to DPF and emissions kit on low-mileage use — check for P2463-type soot codes on the test drive.
  • Scan before you pay. A 2-minute OBD scan reveals stored faults the dashboard hides — see our scanner guide.

FAQs

Which 3 years should I avoid?

Based on 317,985 MOT tests adjusted against cars of the same age, 2004, 2005, 2017 are the lower-scoring outliers. That is a prompt for closer inspection, not proof that every car from those years is bad.

What is the best 3 year to buy used?

2019 and 2022 lead the age-adjusted MOT ranking. The score compares each registration year with all UK cars of the same age; the specific car's history and condition still take priority.

Is the 3 reliable overall?

Across 317,985 tests, the median age-adjusted index is 97.9 (100 equals the pass rate of all cars registered in the same year). Use the spread between years as one signal, then check the individual registration.

Methodology: index = 100 + the model-year cohort’s MOT pass-rate difference versus all UK vehicles registered in the same year and tested in the same calendar year. Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded; at least 1,500 tests per page. “Inspect” years are below both the same-age baseline and the model’s median index by at least 2 points. Association is not proof of a model-year defect. DVSA anonymised data 2023–2025, OGL v3.0.