2016 Mazda 2 — MOT failures & pass rate
57,804 MOT tests on the 2016 Mazda 2 are in this dataset, and 86.7% of them passed. Superminis of a similar age fail 15.5% of the time, so this is 2.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in seat belts & restraints, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — seat belts & restraints (4.1%) and visibility (4.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 1,761 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.1% versus 10.3%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 13.1% fail against 16.4% for diesel, a 3.2-point gap across 57,804 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.1% | 2,381 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.0% | 2,310 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.6% | 2,075 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.3% | 1,910 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.2% | 1,826 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 1,309 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,761 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,363 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,200 |
| 4 | Washers | 1,040 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 952 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 777 |
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 | 24.9% | 14,407 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.8% | 10,282 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.6% | 3,821 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.3% | 3,086 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 2,116 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 638 |
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 | 16,176 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 28,847 | 13.3% |
| 60-90k | 10,323 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 2,081 | 20.7% |
| 120-150k | 287 | 23.7% |
| 150k+ | 83 | 24.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 55,180 | 13.1% |
| Diesel | 2,624 | 16.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,405 | 11.5% |
| 2022 | 11,603 | 13.0% |
| 2023 | 11,608 | 13.4% |
| 2024 | 11,461 | 13.3% |
| 2025 | 11,727 | 15.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 2
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: seat belts & restraints accounted for 4.1% of tests. Start there.
- Seat belts & restraints (4.1% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
- Visibility (4.0% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Tyres (3.6% 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
How many 2016 Mazda 2s pass their MOT?
86.7% of the 57,804 2016 Mazda 2 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Mazda 2?
Seat belts & restraints, recorded in 4.1% of tests, followed by visibility (4.0%).
Does the 2016 2 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 24.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 57,804 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.