MOT performance
Mazda CX-3 vs Kia Stonic: MOT pass rates compared
In 2023–2024, 86.2% of 50,909 Mazda CX-3 MOT tests and 88.4% of 47,147 Kia Stonic tests passed first time — 2.2 points in favour of the Kia Stonic. Once age, mileage and fuel are allowed for, the Mazda CX-3 fails less often than the Kia Stonic: 0.80× against 0.88× the national rate for comparable cars.
50,909 Mazda CX-3 and 47,147 Kia Stonic MOT tests, 2023–2024
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| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Mazda CX-3: first-time pass rate | 86.2% | ±0.3 pts (95%), n = 50,909 |
| Kia Stonic: first-time pass rate | 88.4% | ±0.3 pts (95%), n = 47,147 |
| Mazda CX-3: failures vs similar cars | -20% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Kia Stonic: failures vs similar cars | -12% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Mazda CX-3: dangerous defect | 4.4% | n = 50,909 |
| Kia Stonic: dangerous defect | 4.0% | n = 47,147 |
| Average age at test | 5.4 vs 3.7 years | Mazda CX-3 vs Kia Stonic |
Why the raw pass rates can mislead
The Mazda CX-3 was tested at an older average age (5.4 years against 3.7), and older cars fail more often whatever they are. That is why the table above also shows failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel: it compares the models, not their fleets. Here the adjustment reverses the raw result: the Mazda CX-3 has the lower pass rate but fails less often than comparable cars.
Failure areas side by side
Share of MOT tests that failed on each area, and in brackets how that compares with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel (1.00 = national average). The clearest difference is seat belts and airbags, where the Mazda CX-3 fails 14.4 times as often on an adjusted basis.
| Area | Mazda CX-3 | Kia Stonic |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 3.0% (-7%) | 3.0% (+34%) |
| Steering | 0.1% (-92%) | 0.2% (-13%) |
| Suspension | 2.0% (-30%) | 0.4% (-63%) |
| Tyres | 4.2% (-22%) | 2.7% (-43%) |
| Road wheels | 0.1% (-51%) | 0.1% (-53%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.1% (-51%) | 1.9% (-36%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 0.2% (-80%) | 0.2% (-58%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 3.1% (-10%) | 4.6% (+48%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.3% (-69%) | 0.5% (-25%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.4% (+311%) | 0.1% (-71%) |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.1% (-36%) | 0.1% (-64%) |
Pass rate at the same age
Comparing cars of the same age removes most of the fleet-age effect from the raw rates.
| Age at test | Mazda CX-3 | Kia Stonic |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 years | 90.2% (n = 17,008) | 88.7% (n = 25,686) |
| 5-6 years | 86.8% (n = 20,421) | 85.1% (n = 12,448) |
Most common failure item
- Mazda CX-3 · wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (2.16% of tests)
- Kia Stonic · wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.72% of tests)
MOT results reflect how cars are maintained as well as how they are built, so a gap between two models is a difference in test performance, not proof that one is more reliable. For one car, its own MOT history says more than any average.
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About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.