Mazda CX-30 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 7 model years and 44,825 tests, the Mazda CX-30 passes its MOT 94.5% of the time. That is 1.9 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 7.5%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.8%) and visibility (2.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 711 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 9.0% once past 90-120k — 2.2× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 18.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 2.3% of tests failed in 2022 against 6.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every CX-30 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 956 | 93.4% | 6.6% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 19,890 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 16,971 | 94.5% | 5.5% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 6,744 | 95.1% | 4.9% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 260 | 96.9% | 3.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.8% | 1,267 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.1% | 944 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.4% | 635 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 493 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 241 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 233 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 32 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.1% | 32 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 711 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 572 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 558 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 513 |
| 5 | Washers | 395 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 231 |
| 7 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 210 |
| 8 | Brake discs | 166 |
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 | 18.5% | 8,307 |
| 2 | Tyres | 17.4% | 7,817 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.4% | 3,340 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.8% | 2,150 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 1,173 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.3% | 110 |
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 | 30,202 | 4.1% |
| 30-60k | 13,697 | 8.4% |
| 60-90k | 841 | 10.5% |
| 90-120k | 67 | 9.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 44,348 | 5.6% |
| Hybrid | 475 | 4.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 471 | 2.3% |
| 2023 | 6,954 | 4.2% |
| 2024 | 15,412 | 5.7% |
| 2025 | 21,987 | 6.0% |
What to check before buying a Mazda CX-30
- Tyres (2.8% 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 (2.1% 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 (1.4% 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.
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-30?
94.5% of the 44,825 Mazda CX-30 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 5.5% fail rate, across model years 2019–2025.
What does the Mazda CX-30 most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 2.8% of tests, then visibility (2.1%).
How much does mileage affect CX-30 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 9.0% for 90-120k, a 4.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 44,825 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.