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MOT statistics · 2023 tests

Mazda 3 MOT pass rate, common failures and mileage

In 2023, 73.4% of 110,392 MOT tests on the Mazda 3 ended in a pass, 3.1 points below the 76.5% average for all cars. Comparing like for like at ages 3 to 10, it passed 81.0% against 82.0%, ranking 89th of 148 models.

Pass rate
73.4%
All cars 76.5%
Tests
110,392
Initial MOTs in 2023
Ages 3 to 10
81.0%
All cars 82.0% · rank 89 of 148
Mileage at 10
77k
Median; middle half 57k to 97k

Pass rate and mileage by age

Each row covers the Mazda 3 MOT tests at that age. Mileage shows the median and the middle half of odometer readings, from the 25th to the 75th percentile.

AgePass rateMileage
23,272 tests
94.0%
19,000 · 13k to 25k
34,390 tests
93.4%
23,000 · 17k to 31k
45,769 tests
88.6%
31,000 · 23k to 41k
57,086 tests
82.5%
39,000 · 27k to 51k
69,524 tests
77.9%
47,000 · 35k to 61k
710,834 tests
78.4%
57,000 · 43k to 73k
810,458 tests
76.4%
63,000 · 47k to 81k
96,637 tests
76.5%
69,000 · 51k to 87k
105,072 tests
74.9%
77,000 · 57k to 97k
115,263 tests
70.6%
83,000 · 63k to 103k
127,361 tests
67.6%
89,000 · 71k to 111k
138,687 tests
66.4%
95,000 · 73k to 115k
147,514 tests
60.8%
95,000 · 73k to 117k
156,392 tests
60.3%
99,000 · 77k to 121k
165,443 tests
60.3%
101,000 · 79k to 125k
174,029 tests
58.5%
105,000 · 81k to 127k
182,184 tests
58.7%
99,000 · 77k to 125k
19477 tests
56.2%
97,000 · 77k to 121k
3 pass rateAll cars at that ageMiddle half of mileages

Most common MOT failures and advisories

How often each item came up, per 100 MOT tests on the Mazda 3. Advisories are things the tester noted that did not fail the car, often wear that will need attention soon. Follow an item to see what it means and how serious it is.

Failures

Coil springs
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
4.6in 100 tests
Side and tail lights
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
4.1in 100 tests
Brake pads
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
3.0in 100 tests
Tyre tread
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
2.4in 100 tests
Warning lights
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
2.3in 100 tests
Wiper blades
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
2.0in 100 tests
Brake lights
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
1.7in 100 tests
Screen washers
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
1.5in 100 tests

Advisories and minor defects

Brake pads
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
11.2in 100 tests
Brake discs
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
10.3in 100 tests
Suspension arms
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
4.0in 100 tests
Engine oil leaks
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
3.6in 100 tests
Brake pipes
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
3.6in 100 tests
Number plate lights
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (minor defect)
3.5in 100 tests
Suspension joints
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
2.6in 100 tests
Number plates
Number plate inscription missing or illegible
2.5in 100 tests

What to check on a used 3

The parts that come up most often in Mazda 3 MOTs, and how to look at them on a viewing.

  1. Brake discs and pads
    Ask when the discs and pads were last replaced, and look through the wheel for a raised lip on the edge of the disc.
  2. Coil springs
    Compare the gap between each tyre and its wheel arch. A corner sitting lower than the others can mean a broken spring.
  3. Lights
    Walk round with every light on, and ask someone to press the brake pedal so you can see both brake lights.
  4. Suspension and steering joints
    Listen for knocks over bumps and at full lock, and ask whether any suspension or steering joints have been replaced.
  5. Oil leaks
    Look under the engine and gearbox, and at the ground where the car was parked, for fresh oil.

Check a specific 3

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

UK

Questions

What is the MOT pass rate of the Mazda 3?
In 2023, 73.4% of 110,392 initial MOT tests on the Mazda 3 ended in a pass, against 76.5% for all cars and light vans. At ages 3 to 10, with the same age mix as all cars, it was 81.0% against 82.0%.
What fails most often on a Mazda 3 MOT?
The most common failures were coil springs (4.6 in 100 tests), side and tail lights (4.1 in 100 tests), brake pads (3.0 in 100 tests).
What is a normal mileage for a 10-year-old Mazda 3?
At 10 years old, the median Mazda 3 at its MOT had covered 77,000 miles, and the middle half had between 57,000 and 97,000 miles.
What do MOT testers most often advise on a Mazda 3?
The most common advisories were brake pads (11.2 in 100 tests), brake discs (10.3 in 100 tests), suspension arms (4.0 in 100 tests).

Other Mazda models

Overall MOT pass rate in 2023. Compare all Mazda models or see every make.

274.9%373.4%MX-577.4%674.9%CX-584.6%CX-389.7%559.6%Bongo59.6%

How these figures are made. We counted every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 from the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Pass rate is the share of initial tests that ended in a pass, counting faults fixed during the test. Age is whole years from first registration to the test, so a car having its first MOT a few weeks early counts as 2.

Like-for-like pass rates average each model's pass rate at ages 3 to 10 with the same age mix for every model, so a model is not flattered by a young fleet or penalised by an old one. Models are grouped by the first word of the DVSA model name, and names that cover several models are left out.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.