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Mazda MX-5 MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the Mazda MX-5. Check any MX-5 by registration number below.

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85.5%

Avg Pass Rate

+1.7%

vs Mazda Avg

1

Year Ranges

Excellent

Reliability

Mazda MX-5 — MOT Reliability Overview

The Mazda MX-5 has an average MOT pass rate of 85.5%, which is 1.7 percentage points above the Mazda brand average of 83.8%. This is a strong result, indicating that the MX-5 is well-engineered and tends to age well mechanically. Owners can expect fewer surprises at MOT time.

The most common reasons a Mazda MX-5 fails its MOT are lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, suspension, brakes. If you are preparing your MX-5 for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.

Typical mileage for the MX-5 is around 24,000 miles at 5 years. When evaluating a used MX-5, compare the odometer reading against these benchmarks. Significantly lower mileage than expected could indicate a clocked vehicle — run a free mileage check to verify.

Before buying a used Mazda MX-5, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.

MOT Pass Rate by Year

How the Mazda MX-5 performs at MOT across different model years.

1998

Based on 22,000 vehicles

85.5%Excellent
Mazda average: 83.8%
Dangerous Defects

1.2%

Retest Rate

10.0%

Mileage at 3yr

14k mi

Mileage at 5yr

24k mi

Mileage at 10yr

45k mi

Top MOT Failures — Mazda MX-5

The most common reasons a Mazda MX-5 fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

1

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

13.5%
2

Suspension

12.0%
3

Brakes

10.0%
4

Tyres

9.5%
5

Exhaust, fuel and emissions

6.8%
Mazda MX-5 Common Faults & Repair Costs

Where Failures Occur

The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.

Front

30.0%

Rear

27.0%

Offside

20.0%

Typical Mileage — Mazda MX-5

Average mileage readings recorded at MOT tests for the 1998 model year range. Use these benchmarks to evaluate a used MX-5.

At 3 Years

14,000

miles

At 5 Years

24,000

miles

At 10 Years

45,000

miles

Other Mazda Models

Compare MOT reliability across Mazda models.

Mazda CX-5

84.8% pass rate

Mazda 3

83.2% pass rate

Mazda 2

83.8% pass rate

Mazda 6

80.8% pass rate

Mazda CX-3

84.2% pass rate

Mazda CX-30

87.2% pass rate

Useful MOT Guides

Common MOT Failures

The most common reasons UK vehicles fail their MOT — and how to prepare.

MOT Checklist

Pre-MOT checklist to improve your chances of passing first time.

Advisory vs Failure

Understanding the difference between MOT advisories and failures.

See detailed fault analysis for Mazda MX-5

Mazda MX-5 — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Mazda MX-5 MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Mazda MX-5?
The average MOT pass rate for the Mazda MX-5 is 85.5% compared to the Mazda average of 83.8%. Pass rates vary by year — check the year-by-year breakdown on this page for details.
What are the most common MOT failures on a Mazda MX-5?
The most common MOT failures on the Mazda MX-5 are: Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (13.5%), Suspension (12.0%), Brakes (10.0%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.
Is the Mazda MX-5 reliable?
With an average MOT pass rate of 85.5%, the Mazda MX-5 is rated as "Excellent" for reliability. This is a strong result suggesting good build quality and fewer common defects.
How do I check the MOT history of a Mazda MX-5?
Enter the vehicle's registration number in the search box at the top of this page. You will instantly see the complete MOT history including every test result, mileage readings, advisories, and dangerous defects — completely free.
What mileage should I expect on a Mazda MX-5?
Typical mileage for the Mazda MX-5: 14,000 miles at 3 years, 24,000 miles at 5 years, 45,000 miles at 10 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used MX-5 to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your Mazda MX-5's MOT History

Enter the registration number for the full MOT history — free and instant.

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