Mazda Cx-3 MOT pass rate: 86.5% (24,672 tests, 2025)

The Mazda Cx-3 passed 86.5% of its 24,672 MOT tests in 2025 — 9.0 points above the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 7 years old with 46,848 miles on the clock.

86.5%Pass rate (2025)

24,672MOT tests analysed

46,848 miMedian mileage at test

7 yrsMedian age at test

How the Cx-3 compares

Mazda Cx-3

86.5%

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 Cx-3

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

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Tyres	1,402	25.5%
2	Brakes	1,321	24.0%
3	Suspension	1,127	20.5%
4	Visibility	595	10.8%
5	Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems	495	9.0%
6	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	345	6.3%

Pre-MOT checklist for Cx-3 owners

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

Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Replace smeared wiper blades and top up washer fluid — both are test items
Pull every belt sharply to confirm it locks, and check for cuts and fraying

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

Cx-3 pass rate by registration year

Strongest age-adjusted years: 2017, 2018. Full ranking and method: Mazda Cx-3 years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2015	6,996	80.9%	+2.2 pts	58,382
2016	14,521	82.1%	+0.8 pts	52,608
2017	14,373	88.3%	+4.3 pts	44,168
2018	16,668	91.1%	+4.8 pts	36,824
2019	20,957	92.6%	+4.2 pts	28,844

Check a specific Cx-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 373.9% pass rate · 103,889 tests Mx-578.2% pass rate · 87,222 tests Cx-581.1% pass rate · 57,112 tests 673.6% pass rate · 55,083 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 Cx-3?

In 2025, 86.5% of 24,672 first MOT tests on the Mazda Cx-3 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the Cx-3 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is tyres (25.5% of its recorded defects), followed by brakes.

Is the Mazda Cx-3 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 86.5% it performs above the national average at a median age of 7 years and 46,848 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.