2016 Mazda Cx-3 MOT pass rate: 82.1% (14,521 tests)

2016-registered Mazda Cx-3s passed 82.1% of 14,521 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — broadly in line with same-age cars (81.3%).

82.1%Pass rate, 2016 cars

100.8Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

14,521Tests analysed

52,608 miMedian mileage at test

82.3% / 81.1%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2016 Cx-3 getting worse?

Pass rate of 2016-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	83.6% +0.4 vs same-age
2024	83.0% +1.8 vs same-age
2025	79.7% +0.1 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2016 Cx-3

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	966	22.8%
2	Tyres	909	21.5%
3	Brakes	877	20.7%
4	Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems	658	15.5%
5	Visibility	372	8.8%
6	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	245	5.8%

All Cx-3 years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2015	6,996	80.9%	+2.2 pts	58,382
2016 (this page)	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

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Mazda Cx-3 years to avoid.

Buying a 2016 Cx-3? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
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

FAQs

Is a 2016 Mazda Cx-3 reliable?

2016-registered examples passed 82.1% of their MOT tests (14,521 tests, 2023–2025), +0.8 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 10 years old with a median 52,608 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2016 Cx-3?

The median tested example shows 52,608 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.