Mazda 2 MOT failure rate and common faults
125,114 Mazda 2 cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 30.4% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 30.4% of the time, which makes the Mazda 2 about as likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
30.4%
failed first time
125,114 MOT tests in 2025
+0%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 30.4%
129 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
95.6
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 111.1
What fails on a Mazda 2 MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Mazda 2 MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 60.7 |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 43.8 |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 43.5 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 39.6 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 33.5 |
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | Steering | 30.7 |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded | Brakes | 28.1 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 25.2 |
| Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak | Suspension | 19.3 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 17.3 |
Mazda 2 MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,077 | 7.8% | 11.4% | 18,600 |
| 2021 | 3,656 | 9.1% | 12.8% | 23,600 |
| 2020 | 4,117 | 9.9% | 14.1% | 28,000 |
| 2019 | 8,407 | 12.4% | 16.5% | 33,600 |
| 2018 | 8,083 | 14.3% | 19.1% | 41,000 |
| 2017 | 7,669 | 18.1% | 21.8% | 48,000 |
| 2016 | 10,068 | 21.6% | 25.1% | 56,000 |
| 2015 | 9,935 | 24.5% | 28.1% | 61,500 |
| 2014 | 8,349 | 32.7% | 31.4% | 63,700 |
| 2013 | 8,407 | 37.2% | 34.3% | 71,100 |
| 2012 | 8,634 | 38.2% | 36.6% | 73,600 |
| 2011 | 10,177 | 40.8% | 38.8% | 79,500 |
| 2010 | 11,519 | 45.5% | 40.7% | 88,600 |
| 2009 | 10,960 | 46.6% | 41.8% | 92,200 |
| 2008 | 6,853 | 49.5% | 42.9% | 97,900 |
| 2007 | 2,309 | 42.4% | 42.7% | 89,400 |
| 2006 | 1,019 | 43.1% | 43.0% | 80,000 |
| 2005 | 875 | 42.2% | 42.4% | 82,800 |
Advisories to look for in a Mazda 2's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Mazda 2, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge244.3
- Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material183.9
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing175.3
- Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened78.9
- Brake pads: wearing thin70.6
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened68.6
Checking a used Mazda 2 before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Mazda 2 fails more often than average on suspension, windscreen, wipers and mirrors and steering. Start there.
Suspension
Drive over speed bumps with the radio off and listen for knocks. Look at the car side on: a corner sitting lower than the others often means a broken coil spring.
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
Look for chips or cracks in the driver's line of sight, and test the wipers and washers. Windscreen damage in the swept area is an MOT failure.
Steering
With the engine running, rock the wheel gently: there should be almost no free play. Listen for knocks on full lock and look for power steering fluid leaks.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Mazda 2 MOT questions
What is the Mazda 2 MOT failure rate?
30.4% of Mazda 2 cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 125,114 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 30.4% of the time, so the Mazda 2 was about as likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Mazda 2 MOT?
Suspension caused the most failure items, at 184 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Ball joint excessively worn", recorded 60.7 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Mazda 2 year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2022 registrations did best: 7.8% failed against an average of 11.4% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Mazda 2 will pass?
No. These are averages across every Mazda 2 tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Mazda models
- Mazda 331.2% failed
- Mazda CX-519.6% failed
- Mazda MX-521.7% failed
- Mazda 630.7% failed
- Mazda CX-316.5% failed
- Mazda CX-308.7% failed
Ranked close to the Mazda 2
- Kia Soulrank 126
- Ford Fusionrank 127
- Peugeot 107rank 128
- Ford C-Maxrank 130
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Mazda 2 cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.