2013 Mazda 5 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Mazda 5 passed 75.0% of its 5,020 recorded MOT tests. Against MPVs of a similar age (20.9% fail rate), the 2013 5 comes out 4.1pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 14.3% of tests against 8.3% 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 423 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.4% versus 15.3%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 23.1% fail against 26.6% for diesel, a 3.5-point gap across 5,020 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 35.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 23.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.3% | 718 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.3% | 419 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.7% | 387 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.5% | 274 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.1% | 204 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.0% | 149 |
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 | 423 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 217 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 217 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 194 |
| 5 | Linkage ball joints | 180 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 175 |
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 | 35.7% | 1,792 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.4% | 1,474 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.5% | 1,230 |
| 4 | Other defects | 12.3% | 616 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 353 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.9% | 247 |
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 | 72 | 15.3% |
| 30-60k | 823 | 19.1% |
| 60-90k | 2,048 | 24.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,442 | 28.2% |
| 120-150k | 465 | 27.3% |
| 150k+ | 170 | 29.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,695 | 26.6% |
| Petrol | 2,325 | 23.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,030 | 23.8% |
| 2022 | 1,007 | 23.6% |
| 2023 | 1,003 | 24.3% |
| 2024 | 1,021 | 26.4% |
| 2025 | 959 | 26.8% |
What to check before buying a 2013 5
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 14.3% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (14.3% 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 (8.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.7% 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 2013 Mazda 5s pass their MOT?
75.0% of the 5,020 2013 Mazda 5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Mazda 5?
Suspension, recorded in 14.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.3%).
Does the 2013 5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.3% in the 0-30k band to 29.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,020 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.