Mazda CX-3 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Mazda CX-3 appears in 131,355 MOT tests spanning model years 2015–2022, and 90.7% of them passed. Against small SUVs of a similar age (11.6% fail rate), the CX-3 comes out 2.3pp better. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and brakes.
Best and worst CX-3 years
Ranked across CX-3 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 — 93.9% of 2019 examples pass against 85.4% of 2015 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (3.5%) and visibility (2.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 3,424 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.2% in the 0-30k band and 20.6% in the 150k+ band, a 15.4-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 8.8% fail against 13.2% for diesel, a 4.4-point gap across 131,354 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every CX-3 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 13,736 | 85.4% | 14.6% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 28,100 | 86.6% | 13.4% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 26,574 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 30,212 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 32,664 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 55 | 89.1% | 10.9% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.5% | 4,608 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.9% | 3,769 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 3,324 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 2,576 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.9% | 2,437 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.2% | 1,597 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 429 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 186 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 3,424 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 2,339 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,036 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,784 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 1,468 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,137 |
| 7 | Brake discs | 622 |
| 8 | Rigid brake pipes | 502 |
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 | 21.7% | 28,543 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.2% | 25,174 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.5% | 7,153 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.7% | 4,885 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.7% | 3,598 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 2,075 |
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 | 51,849 | 5.2% |
| 30-60k | 58,426 | 10.7% |
| 60-90k | 17,466 | 15.1% |
| 90-120k | 3,111 | 18.6% |
| 120-150k | 395 | 19.5% |
| 150k+ | 97 | 20.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 114,762 | 8.8% |
| Diesel | 16,592 | 13.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,641 | 7.1% |
| 2022 | 27,564 | 7.2% |
| 2023 | 27,894 | 9.2% |
| 2024 | 27,880 | 10.5% |
| 2025 | 28,376 | 11.8% |
What to check before buying a Mazda CX-3
- Tyres (3.5% 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.
- Visibility (2.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Brakes (2.5% 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.
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 CX-3?
90.7% of the 131,355 Mazda CX-3 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.3% fail rate, across model years 2015–2022.
What does the Mazda CX-3 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 3.5% of tests, then visibility (2.9%).
Which CX-3 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 93.9% and 2015 the weakest at 85.4%, from 32,664 and 13,736 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect CX-3 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 20.6% for 150k+, a 15.4-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel CX-3 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 8.8% of the time against 13.2% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 131,355 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.