Mazda Premacy MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 26 model years and 2,557 tests, the Mazda Premacy passes its MOT 70.0% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 25.6% of the time, so this is 4.5pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.5%) and lighting & signalling (15.9%) 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, headlamp aim and wipers — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 362 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.2% once past 150k — 2.5× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 39.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 31.1% in 2021 to 27.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Premacy model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 97 | 69.1% | 30.9% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 285 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 503 | 65.2% | 34.8% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 272 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 285 | 66.3% | 33.7% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 501 | 66.5% | 33.5% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 47 | 63.8% | 36.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 33 | 72.7% | 27.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 34 | 76.5% | 23.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 43 | 74.4% | 25.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 97 | 80.4% | 19.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 53 | 81.1% | 18.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 42 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 59 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 101 | 84.2% | 15.8% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.5% | 423 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.9% | 406 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.0% | 281 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.9% | 177 |
| 5 | Tyres | 6.8% | 174 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 156 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 4.9% | 124 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 4.3% | 109 |
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 | 362 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 148 |
| 3 | Wipers | 141 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 135 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 135 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 118 |
| 7 | Prescribed areas | 117 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 117 |
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 | 39.4% | 1,007 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.3% | 724 |
| 3 | Brakes | 27.9% | 713 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.8% | 403 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 15.3% | 391 |
| 6 | Other defects | 13.0% | 332 |
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 | 101 | 13.9% |
| 30-60k | 558 | 21.9% |
| 60-90k | 795 | 31.1% |
| 90-120k | 682 | 34.6% |
| 120-150k | 295 | 35.6% |
| 150k+ | 123 | 34.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,450 | 29.8% |
| Diesel | 106 | 35.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 742 | 31.1% |
| 2022 | 600 | 30.0% |
| 2023 | 492 | 30.9% |
| 2024 | 397 | 28.7% |
| 2025 | 326 | 27.9% |
What to check before buying a Mazda Premacy
- Suspension (16.5% 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 (15.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.0% 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 Premacy?
70.0% of the 2,557 Mazda Premacy MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 30.0% fail rate, across model years 1999–2024.
What does the Mazda Premacy most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 16.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (15.9%).
How much does mileage affect Premacy MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.2% for 150k+, a 20.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,557 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.