Mazda 2 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Mazda 2 appears in 751,826 MOT tests spanning model years 1999–2024, and 79.9% of them passed. That is effectively the same as superminis of a similar age (20.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
Best and worst 2 years
Ranked across 2 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2022 (96.6% pass rate); the weakest is 2008 (71.4%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — suspension (10.5%) and lighting & signalling (8.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, headlamp aim and wipers — ball joint alone was recorded 41,443 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.7% in the 0-30k band and 33.3% in the 150k+ band, a 25.6-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 24.2pp more often than hybrid ones (27.4% vs 3.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 19.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every 2 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 3,124 | 73.4% | 26.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 6,895 | 74.0% | 26.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 8,521 | 73.5% | 26.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 9,643 | 74.4% | 25.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 19,342 | 74.4% | 25.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 56,559 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 84,555 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 83,890 | 73.7% | 26.3% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 70,137 | 75.2% | 24.8% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 57,265 | 77.1% | 22.9% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 54,225 | 78.5% | 21.5% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 51,354 | 81.8% | 18.2% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 58,070 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Seat belts & restraints |
| 2016 | 57,804 | 86.7% | 13.3% | Seat belts & restraints |
| 2017 | 42,230 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Visibility |
| 2018 | 43,625 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Visibility |
| 2019 | 35,817 | 93.8% | 6.3% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 4,126 | 95.1% | 4.9% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 2,395 | 95.1% | 4.9% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 2,118 | 96.6% | 3.4% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 119 | 95.8% | 4.2% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.5% | 78,643 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.5% | 64,103 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.1% | 38,289 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.9% | 37,029 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.9% | 28,937 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.9% | 21,988 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 11,957 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 9,561 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 41,443 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 29,642 |
| 3 | Wipers | 27,975 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 25,628 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 25,307 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 22,828 |
| 7 | Rigid brake pipes | 21,842 |
| 8 | Track rod end | 20,603 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 26.3% | 197,970 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.8% | 163,815 |
| 3 | Suspension | 18.0% | 135,632 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.5% | 79,106 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.7% | 65,481 |
| 6 | Steering | 4.7% | 34,969 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 132,894 | 7.7% |
| 30-60k | 244,293 | 16.3% |
| 60-90k | 212,595 | 24.6% |
| 90-120k | 114,274 | 29.4% |
| 120-150k | 37,018 | 31.8% |
| 150k+ | 10,663 | 33.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 727,165 | 19.9% |
| Diesel | 23,385 | 27.4% |
| Hybrid | 1,276 | 3.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 147,437 | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 154,679 | 19.5% |
| 2023 | 152,979 | 20.0% |
| 2024 | 149,944 | 20.9% |
| 2025 | 146,787 | 21.1% |
What to check before buying a Mazda 2
- Suspension (10.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (8.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Mazda 2?
79.9% of the 751,826 Mazda 2 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 20.1% fail rate, across model years 1999–2024.
What does the Mazda 2 most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 10.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (8.5%).
Which 2 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 96.6% and 2008 the weakest at 71.4%, from 2,118 and 56,559 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 2 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.3% for 150k+, a 25.6-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel 2 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 3.2% of the time against 27.4% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 751,826 MOT tests. 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.