Mazda RX-8 MOT pass rate: 73.6% (2,507 tests, 2025)

The Mazda RX-8 passed 73.6% of its 2,507 MOT tests in 2025 — 3.9 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 19 years old with 65,266 miles on the clock.

73.6%Pass rate (2025)

2,507MOT tests analysed

65,266 miMedian mileage at test

19 yrsMedian age at test

How the RX-8 compares

Mazda RX-8

73.6%

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 RX-8

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the RX-8:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Noise, emissions and leaks	529	25.3%
2	Suspension	458	21.9%
3	Brakes	318	15.2%
4	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	313	14.9%
5	Body, chassis, structure	160	7.6%
6	Tyres	156	7.4%

Pre-MOT checklist for RX-8 owners

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

A blowing exhaust or visible smoke will fail; warm the engine fully before the test
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Look underneath for corrosion around sills and subframes, especially on older cars

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

RX-8 pass rate by registration year

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2006	1,670	71.0%	+6.6 pts	64,221
2007	1,776	73.0%	+7.9 pts	64,159

Check a specific RX-8 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 Cx-386.5% pass rate · 24,672 tests 560.4% pass rate · 8,754 tests Bongo59.5% pass rate · 8,682 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Mazda RX-8?

In 2025, 73.6% of 2,507 first MOT tests on the Mazda RX-8 were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the RX-8 fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is noise, emissions and leaks (25.3% of its recorded defects), followed by suspension.

Is the Mazda RX-8 reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 73.6% it performs below the national average at a median age of 19 years and 65,266 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.