Mazda Friendee MOT pass rate & common failures
The Mazda Friendee appears in 1,135 MOT tests spanning model years 1994–2022, and 67.0% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 24.3% of the time, so this is 8.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (18.5%) and lighting & signalling (17.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, integral vehicle structure condition and prescribed areas — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 227 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 27.9% in the 60-90k band and 35.7% in the 150k+ band, a 7.8-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 34.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 31.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 36.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every 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 | 43 | 60.5% | 39.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 41 | 63.4% | 36.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 57 | 70.2% | 29.8% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 39 | 61.5% | 38.5% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 38 | 65.8% | 34.2% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2005 | 105 | 64.8% | 35.2% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 89 | 75.3% | 24.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 60 | 60.0% | 40.0% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 76 | 67.1% | 32.9% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 78 | 65.4% | 34.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 115 | 62.6% | 37.4% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 82 | 61.0% | 39.0% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 48 | 68.8% | 31.3% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 55 | 76.4% | 23.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 63 | 68.3% | 31.8% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 18.5% | 210 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 17.8% | 202 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.2% | 138 |
| 4 | Brakes | 9.7% | 110 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.5% | 74 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 60 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.3% | 49 |
| 8 | Steering | 3.7% | 42 |
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 | 227 |
| 2 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 112 |
| 3 | Prescribed areas | 77 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 75 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 73 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 72 |
| 7 | Chassis condition | 68 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 66 |
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 | 34.2% | 388 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.1% | 307 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.7% | 223 |
| 4 | Tyres | 18.8% | 213 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 18.8% | 213 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 16.1% | 183 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 136 | 27.9% |
| 90-120k | 199 | 30.1% |
| 120-150k | 307 | 32.6% |
| 150k+ | 470 | 35.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 780 | 32.7% |
| Petrol | 355 | 33.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 252 | 31.8% |
| 2022 | 258 | 33.7% |
| 2023 | 220 | 31.8% |
| 2024 | 210 | 31.4% |
| 2025 | 195 | 36.9% |
What to check before buying a Mazda Friendee
- Suspension (18.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (17.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.2% 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 Friendee?
67.0% of the 1,135 Mazda Friendee MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 33.0% fail rate, across model years 1994–2022.
What does the Mazda Friendee most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 18.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (17.8%).
How much does mileage affect Friendee MOT results?
Fail rates run at 27.9% for cars in the 60-90k band and 35.7% for 150k+, a 7.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,135 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.