Mazda 5 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 30 model years and 83,934 tests, the Mazda 5 passes its MOT 70.2% of the time. MPVs of a similar age fail 25.9% of the time, so this is 3.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
Best and worst 5 years
Ranked across 5 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
Not every year is equal — 79.6% of 2015 examples pass against 65.1% of 2005 ones.
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 18.0% of tests against 14.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, pins and bushes and position lamp — ball joint alone was recorded 6,104 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 13.3% in the 0-30k band and 33.4% in the 150k+ band, a 20.1-point spread — more than double.
The diesel cars hold up better: 27.6% fail against 30.7% for petrol, a 3.0-point gap across 83,915 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 43.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every 5 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 30 | 73.3% | 26.7% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 1,784 | 65.1% | 34.9% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 6,685 | 65.7% | 34.3% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 14,301 | 66.2% | 33.8% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 15,968 | 68.2% | 31.8% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 10,349 | 68.7% | 31.4% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 10,601 | 70.0% | 30.0% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 5,604 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 5,279 | 75.7% | 24.3% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 5,020 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 3,762 | 77.7% | 22.3% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 4,357 | 79.6% | 20.4% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 93 | 78.5% | 21.5% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 18.0% | 15,107 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.7% | 12,343 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.9% | 6,600 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.8% | 6,564 |
| 5 | Brakes | 7.6% | 6,384 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.4% | 6,192 |
| 7 | Visibility | 5.2% | 4,393 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.7% | 1,415 |
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 | 6,104 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 5,955 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 5,567 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 4,408 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 4,269 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 4,145 |
| 7 | Linkage ball joints | 3,432 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 3,375 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 43.3% | 36,306 |
| 2 | Tyres | 31.1% | 26,083 |
| 3 | Brakes | 26.2% | 22,025 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.8% | 16,654 |
| 5 | Other defects | 15.6% | 13,075 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 10,286 |
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 | 634 | 13.3% |
| 30-60k | 7,490 | 19.3% |
| 60-90k | 23,620 | 27.5% |
| 90-120k | 30,676 | 31.9% |
| 120-150k | 15,827 | 33.7% |
| 150k+ | 5,663 | 33.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 61,022 | 30.7% |
| Diesel | 22,893 | 27.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21,915 | 29.5% |
| 2022 | 19,454 | 30.2% |
| 2023 | 16,622 | 29.8% |
| 2024 | 14,211 | 30.1% |
| 2025 | 11,732 | 29.7% |
What to check before buying a Mazda 5
- Suspension (18.0% 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 (14.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.9% 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 5?
70.2% of the 83,934 Mazda 5 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 29.8% fail rate, across model years 1992–2021.
What does the Mazda 5 most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 18.0% of tests, then lighting & signalling (14.7%).
Which 5 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2015 has the best pass rate at 79.6% and 2005 the weakest at 65.1%, from 4,357 and 1,784 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 5 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.4% for 150k+, a 20.1-point difference.
Is the diesel or petrol 5 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the diesel fails 27.6% of the time against 30.7% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 83,934 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.