2016 Mazda 6 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Mazda 6 passed 84.8% of its 40,574 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as large family cars of a similar age (15.3% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (6.2%) and brakes (4.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, brake pads and wipers — coil spring alone was recorded 1,418 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.4% versus 11.5%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.0% fail against 15.7% for diesel, a 1.6-point gap across 40,574 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 25.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 6.2% | 2,520 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.4% | 1,793 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.2% | 1,717 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.2% | 1,284 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 1,222 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 793 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 1,418 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,327 |
| 3 | Wipers | 1,084 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 886 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 636 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 575 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 25.7% | 10,425 |
| 2 | Tyres | 24.4% | 9,919 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.0% | 4,445 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.2% | 2,936 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 1,383 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 640 |
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 | 2,960 | 11.5% |
| 30-60k | 14,218 | 13.4% |
| 60-90k | 13,744 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 6,836 | 17.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,162 | 17.7% |
| 150k+ | 653 | 21.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 28,848 | 15.7% |
| Petrol | 11,726 | 14.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,005 | 11.9% |
| 2022 | 8,109 | 12.9% |
| 2023 | 8,186 | 15.5% |
| 2024 | 8,174 | 16.8% |
| 2025 | 8,100 | 18.7% |
What to check before buying a 2016 6
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 6.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (6.2% 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.
- Brakes (4.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Tyres (4.2% 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 6s pass their MOT?
84.8% of the 40,574 2016 Mazda 6 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Mazda 6?
Suspension, recorded in 6.2% of tests, followed by brakes (4.4%).
Does the 2016 6 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.5% in the 0-30k band to 21.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 40,574 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.