BMW 4 Series vs Mazda MX-5
The BMW 4 Series has the better MOT record of the two — 11.8% fail rate versus 18.7% for the Mazda MX-5 across comparable years. The biggest single difference is tyres, where the 4 Series records failures noticeably more often.
11.8%
4 Series fail rate
18.7%
MX-5 fail rate
6.96pp
Difference
Side by side
| Metric | BMW 4 Series | Mazda MX-5 |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests analysed | 567,497 | 557,938 |
| Pass rate | 88.2% | 81.3% |
| Fail rate | 11.8% | 18.7% |
Where they differ
| Category | 4 Series | MX-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 7.3% | 0.0% |
| Suspension | 1.4% | 8.1% |
| Brakes | 1.9% | 6.8% |
| Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 6.9% |
| Emissions & environmental | 0.0% | 4.1% |
| Visibility | 1.6% | 3.5% |
Methodology & source. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.