Mazda 3 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Mazda 3 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 188,962 MOT tests across 19 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Petrol, Diesel
79%
Mazda 3 pass rate
81%
Mazda average
82%
All-model average
The Mazda 3 has an average MOT pass rate of 79%, which is 2 points below the Mazda average and 3 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Mazda 3s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 15 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Mazda 3 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 32,691 MOT tests on the Mazda 3 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
46%Cars and vans the same age: 35% (the 3 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £150-£600
Lights and electrics
34%Cars and vans the same age: 40% · Typical repair £15-£200
Brakes
23%Cars and vans the same age: 23% · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
21%Cars and vans the same age: 22% · Typical repair £50-£300
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
13%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (15% of failed tests, suspension)
- Position lamp: not working (13% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (13% of failed tests, suspension)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Mazda 3 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each 3 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Mazda 3 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Petrol | 1.6L | 98% | 2% | - |
| 2021 | Petrol | 2.5L | 94% | 6% | 93% (+1) |
| 2020 | Petrol | 2.0L | 94% | 6% | 92% (+2) |
| 2019 | Diesel | 1.8L | 92% | 8% | 91% (+1) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 2.0L | 88% | 12% | 89% (-1) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 2.0L | 83% | 16% | 87% (-4) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 2.0L | 82% | 18% | 86% (-4) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 2.0L | 81% | 19% | 84% (-3) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 2.0L | 80% | 19% | 82% (-2) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 1.6L | 80% | 20% | 80% (0) |
| 2012 | Petrol | 1.6L | 79% | 21% | 79% (0) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 1.6L | 75% | 25% | 77% (-2) |
| 2010 | Diesel | 2.0L | 74% | 25% | 75% (-1) |
| 2009 | Diesel | 2.0L | 72% | 27% | 75% (-3) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 1.6L | 70% | 29% | 74% (-4) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 1.6L | 69% | 29% | 73% (-4) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 1.6L | 68% | 31% | 73% (-5) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 1.6L | 67% | 32% | 73% (-6) |
| 2004 | Petrol | 1.6L | 65% | 33% | 72% (-7) |
Mazda 3 Running Costs
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Mazda 3 FAQ
What are the most common Mazda 3 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Mazda 3 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (46% of the 32,691 failed tests), lights and electrics (34%) and brakes (23%). The single most common fault was "Coil spring: fractured or broken" (15%). Across 188,962 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 79% ended in a pass.
Is the Mazda 3 reliable?
The Mazda 3 has an average MOT pass rate of 79%, from 188,962 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed within 2 points of other cars of the same age, so about average for its age.
Which Mazda 3 years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2004 (65% of 1,514 tests passed, against 72% for all 2004 cars), the 2005 (67% of 5,007 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars) and the 2006 (68% of 7,178 tests passed, against 73% for all 2006 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Mazda 3 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Mazda 3 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Mazda Models
Common problems pages for other Mazda models