Mazda Eunos MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 37 model years and 4,838 tests, the Mazda Eunos passes its MOT 75.2% of the time. That is 1.5 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.2%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.8% of all tests — 4.0 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and rear fog lamp — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 449 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.0% versus 16.7%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 26.7% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Eunos model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 98 | 76.5% | 23.5% | Brakes |
| 1991 | 144 | 76.4% | 23.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 195 | 75.4% | 24.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 173 | 76.3% | 23.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 93 | 74.2% | 25.8% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1995 | 81 | 65.4% | 34.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1996 | 42 | 81.0% | 19.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 47 | 72.3% | 27.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 287 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 285 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 302 | 76.5% | 23.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 403 | 72.0% | 28.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 541 | 77.1% | 22.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 659 | 73.4% | 26.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 505 | 74.9% | 25.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 348 | 77.0% | 23.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 292 | 77.7% | 22.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 152 | 73.0% | 27.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 85 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 44 | 81.8% | 18.2% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 669 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.9% | 478 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 8.4% | 405 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.8% | 376 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.5% | 218 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.5% | 168 |
| 7 | Steering | 3.4% | 162 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.9% | 142 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 449 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 357 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 252 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 223 |
| 5 | Ball joint dust cover | 197 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 195 |
| 7 | Prescribed areas | 189 |
| 8 | Position lamp | 177 |
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 | 26.7% | 1,292 |
| 2 | Suspension | 24.9% | 1,206 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 23.4% | 1,131 |
| 4 | Tyres | 14.3% | 693 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.6% | 559 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 340 |
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 | 36 | 16.7% |
| 30-60k | 194 | 17.5% |
| 60-90k | 867 | 18.6% |
| 90-120k | 1,437 | 24.7% |
| 120-150k | 1,036 | 26.5% |
| 150k+ | 1,263 | 29.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,023 | 24.3% |
| 2022 | 1,028 | 24.7% |
| 2023 | 966 | 24.8% |
| 2024 | 935 | 25.7% |
| 2025 | 886 | 24.3% |
What to check before buying a Mazda Eunos
- Lighting & signalling (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.9% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (8.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Eunos?
75.2% of the 4,838 Mazda Eunos MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 24.8% fail rate, across model years 1983–2019.
What does the Mazda Eunos most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.8% of tests, then brakes (9.9%).
How much does mileage affect Eunos MOT results?
Fail rates run at 16.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 29.0% for 150k+, a 12.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,838 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.