2014 Mazda 5 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Mazda 5 passed 77.7% of its 3,762 recorded MOT tests. MPVs of a similar age fail 19.1% of the time, so this is 3.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.9%) and tyres (8.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, pins and bushes and position lamp — ball joint alone was recorded 226 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 26.1% versus 12.6%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.9pp more often than petrol ones (23.6% vs 19.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 31.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 19.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.9% | 410 |
| 2 | Tyres | 8.3% | 314 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 268 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.9% | 183 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.5% | 131 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.3% | 86 |
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 | 226 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 149 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 148 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 147 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 128 |
| 6 | Wipers | 120 |
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 | 31.1% | 1,172 |
| 2 | Suspension | 28.6% | 1,076 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.6% | 927 |
| 4 | Other defects | 12.2% | 460 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.1% | 193 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.8% | 182 |
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 | 95 | 12.6% |
| 30-60k | 948 | 16.5% |
| 60-90k | 1,479 | 22.4% |
| 90-120k | 885 | 26.7% |
| 120-150k | 263 | 30.0% |
| 150k+ | 92 | 26.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,515 | 23.6% |
| Petrol | 1,247 | 19.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 740 | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 754 | 21.2% |
| 2023 | 751 | 22.8% |
| 2024 | 775 | 24.5% |
| 2025 | 742 | 23.7% |
What to check before buying a 2014 5
On a 2014 5, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (10.9% 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.
- Tyres (8.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (7.1% 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 2014 Mazda 5s pass their MOT?
77.7% of the 3,762 2014 Mazda 5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Mazda 5?
Suspension, recorded in 10.9% of tests, followed by tyres (8.3%).
Does the 2014 5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.6% in the 0-30k band to 26.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,762 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.