2020 Mazda 3 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Mazda 3 passed 92.9% of its 13,444 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.8 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.9%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.4%) and visibility (2.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and washers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 332 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 3 fails 5.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 8.7% at 90-120k, a spread of only 3.0 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.7% of tests failed in 2022 against 8.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.4% | 586 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.8% | 381 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 272 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.2% | 156 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 79 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 57 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 332 |
| 2 | Wipers | 305 |
| 3 | Washers | 154 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 149 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 90 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 69 |
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 | 19.9% | 2,668 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.0% | 2,157 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.2% | 560 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.3% | 308 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 1.6% | 220 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 90 |
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 | 8,241 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 4,608 | 8.8% |
| 60-90k | 516 | 13.8% |
| 90-120k | 69 | 8.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 106 | 4.7% |
| 2023 | 4,439 | 5.7% |
| 2024 | 4,356 | 6.9% |
| 2025 | 4,527 | 8.7% |
What to check before buying a 2020 3
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.4% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.4% 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.
- Visibility (2.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2020 Mazda 3s pass their MOT?
92.9% of the 13,444 2020 Mazda 3 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Mazda 3?
Tyres, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by visibility (2.8%).
Does the 2020 3 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.7% in the 0-30k band to 8.7% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,444 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.