Mazda Mpv MOT pass rate & common failures
4,657 MOT tests on the Mazda Mpv (1990–2021) give it a 66.8% pass rate. That is 8.9 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.3%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (19.9%) and suspension (18.4%) 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 rear fog lamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 984 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 22.3% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 35.6% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 30.1% fail against 35.4% for diesel, a 5.3-point gap across 4,640 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 36.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Mpv model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 150 | 66.7% | 33.3% | Suspension |
| 1996 | 140 | 65.0% | 35.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 139 | 64.8% | 35.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 57 | 61.4% | 38.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 120 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 104 | 68.3% | 31.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 99 | 66.7% | 33.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 87 | 64.4% | 35.6% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 167 | 66.5% | 33.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 211 | 67.3% | 32.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 350 | 65.4% | 34.6% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 389 | 67.9% | 32.1% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 380 | 66.6% | 33.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 426 | 60.8% | 39.2% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 214 | 67.8% | 32.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 349 | 64.5% | 35.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 315 | 68.3% | 31.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 280 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 287 | 67.3% | 32.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 222 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 39 | 61.5% | 38.5% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 43 | 67.4% | 32.6% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 53 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.9% | 928 |
| 2 | Suspension | 18.4% | 857 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.5% | 584 |
| 4 | Brakes | 9.6% | 447 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.0% | 326 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.3% | 292 |
| 7 | Steering | 4.0% | 188 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.7% | 171 |
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 | 984 |
| 2 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 418 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 356 |
| 4 | Chassis condition | 349 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 318 |
| 6 | Wipers | 282 |
| 7 | Headlamp aim | 275 |
| 8 | Prescribed areas | 258 |
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 | 36.0% | 1,677 |
| 2 | Brakes | 28.9% | 1,346 |
| 3 | Tyres | 20.3% | 943 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.6% | 912 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 19.2% | 893 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 17.1% | 794 |
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 | 112 | 22.3% |
| 60-90k | 596 | 30.4% |
| 90-120k | 920 | 32.3% |
| 120-150k | 1,028 | 32.6% |
| 150k+ | 1,987 | 35.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,768 | 35.4% |
| Petrol | 1,872 | 30.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,149 | 32.7% |
| 2022 | 1,056 | 34.5% |
| 2023 | 932 | 31.6% |
| 2024 | 822 | 35.5% |
| 2025 | 698 | 31.7% |
What to check before buying a Mazda Mpv
- Lighting & signalling (19.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (18.4% 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 (12.5% 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 Mpv?
66.8% of the 4,657 Mazda Mpv MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 33.2% fail rate, across model years 1990–2021.
What does the Mazda Mpv most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.9% of tests, then suspension (18.4%).
How much does mileage affect Mpv MOT results?
Fail rates run at 22.3% for cars in the 30-60k band and 35.6% for 150k+, a 13.3-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Mpv more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 30.1% of the time against 35.4% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,657 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.