Mazda Bongo/Friendee MOT pass rate & common failures
The Mazda Bongo/Friendee appears in 4,625 MOT tests spanning model years 1995–2025, and 77.1% of them passed. That is effectively the same as all cars of a similar age (22.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 16.4% of all tests — 5.1 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, rear fog lamp and headlamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 476 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.2% in the 30-60k band and 32.0% in the 150k+ band, a 24.8-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 14.4pp more often than petrol ones (32.8% vs 18.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 22.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.0% in 2021 to 20.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Bongo/Friendee model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 64 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Suspension |
| 1996 | 66 | 63.6% | 36.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 102 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 71 | 63.4% | 36.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 142 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 160 | 83.1% | 16.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 264 | 83.0% | 17.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 312 | 88.5% | 11.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 288 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 342 | 86.0% | 14.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 370 | 75.4% | 24.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 291 | 72.9% | 27.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 199 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 119 | 67.2% | 32.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 154 | 66.2% | 33.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 100 | 65.0% | 35.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 166 | 69.3% | 30.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 115 | 65.2% | 34.8% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 135 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 210 | 70.5% | 29.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 276 | 72.8% | 27.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 170 | 78.8% | 21.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 86 | 79.1% | 20.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 56 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2019 | 87 | 87.4% | 12.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 171 | 90.1% | 9.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 107 | 88.8% | 11.2% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.4% | 758 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.3% | 524 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.8% | 313 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.9% | 272 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.1% | 237 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.0% | 229 |
| 7 | Tyres | 2.0% | 94 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.7% | 80 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 476 |
| 2 | Rear fog lamp | 304 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 246 |
| 4 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 234 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 229 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 201 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 199 |
| 8 | Wipers | 194 |
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 | 22.3% | 1,029 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.1% | 975 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 673 |
| 4 | Tyres | 14.5% | 672 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 13.7% | 635 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.4% | 527 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 304 | 7.2% |
| 60-90k | 850 | 14.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,181 | 20.3% |
| 120-150k | 948 | 26.6% |
| 150k+ | 1,313 | 32.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,187 | 18.4% |
| Diesel | 1,436 | 32.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 857 | 24.0% |
| 2022 | 904 | 23.7% |
| 2023 | 954 | 23.5% |
| 2024 | 952 | 22.8% |
| 2025 | 958 | 20.7% |
What to check before buying a Mazda Bongo/Friendee
- Lighting & signalling (16.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.3% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (6.8% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 Bongo/Friendee?
77.1% of the 4,625 Mazda Bongo/Friendee MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 22.9% fail rate, across model years 1995–2025.
What does the Mazda Bongo/Friendee most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.4% of tests, then suspension (11.3%).
How much does mileage affect Bongo/Friendee MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.2% for cars in the 30-60k band and 32.0% for 150k+, a 24.8-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Bongo/Friendee more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 18.4% of the time against 32.8% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,625 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.