MOT performance
Mazda 3 diesel: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 31,383 MOT tests on diesel Mazda 3s in 2023–2024 (on average 9.6 years old at test, median 88,322 miles), 66.2% passed first time, against 68.8% of 187,132 petrol Mazda 3 tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, diesel Mazda 3s failed 7% more often than comparable cars — 1.07× against 1.02× for the Mazda 3 as a whole.
31,383 MOT tests on 16,173 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 66.2% | ±0.5 pts (95%), n = 31,383 |
| All Mazda 3s | 68.5% | n = 218,529 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.07× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Mazda 3 overall 1.02× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 11.3% | n = 31,383 |
| Average age at test | 9.6 years | n = 31,383 |
| Registration years covered | 2004–2021 | DVSA first-use date |
Diesel against the other Mazda 3 fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel).
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 187,132 | 9.9 yrs | 68.8% | +1% | 9.5% |
| Diesel | 31,383 | 9.6 yrs | 66.2% | +7% | 11.3% |
Where diesel Mazda 3s differ
- Noise, emissions and leaks: diesel Mazda 3s failed 45% more often than the Mazda 3 overall, relative to comparable cars (1.32× vs 0.91×).
- Seat belts and airbags: diesel Mazda 3s failed 42% less often than the Mazda 3 overall, relative to comparable cars (0.45× vs 0.78×).
| Area | Diesel (vs similar) | All Mazda 3s (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 15.1% (+42%) | 14.3% (+43%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 10.3% (-13%) | 10.9% (-14%) |
| Brakes | 8.8% (+16%) | 7.4% (+3%) |
| Tyres | 7.7% (+5%) | 6.7% (Same) |
| Driver's view of the road | 4.4% (-3%) | 4.2% (-17%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.0% (+32%) | 3.5% (-9%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 1.8% (-51%) | 2.2% (-40%) |
| Steering | 0.8% (-67%) | 0.6% (-68%) |
| Road wheels | 0.5% (+4%) | 0.4% (-2%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.5% (-55%) | 0.8% (-22%) |
Most common diesel Mazda 3 failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 5.02% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 4.47% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 4.01% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 3.72% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 2.82% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | diesel pass rate (tests) | petrol pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 82.5% (877) | 88.6% (18,164) |
| 5-6 | 75.1% (3,764) | 79.7% (25,688) |
| 7-8 | 72.5% (8,115) | 75.2% (33,405) |
| 9-10 | 67.5% (6,442) | 72.9% (21,757) |
| 11-12 | 61.1% (5,687) | 63.9% (16,926) |
| 13-15 | 54.6% (5,863) | 55.4% (38,097) |
| 16+ | 47.3% (634) | 50.2% (26,185) |
Mazda 3 by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2005 Mazda 3 · 48.5%
- 2006 Mazda 3 · 50.5%
- 2007 Mazda 3 · 51.7%
- 2008 Mazda 3 · 50.9%
- 2009 Mazda 3 · 55.8%
- 2010 Mazda 3 · 59.1%
- 2011 Mazda 3 · 60.3%
- 2012 Mazda 3 · 66.6%
- 2013 Mazda 3 · 71.1%
- 2014 Mazda 3 · 72.5%
- 2015 Mazda 3 · 74.2%
- 2016 Mazda 3 · 74.9%
- 2017 Mazda 3 · 76.9%
- 2018 Mazda 3 · 84.1%
- 2019 Mazda 3 · 89.3%
- 2020 Mazda 3 · 89.7%
- 2021 Mazda 3 · 89.3%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific diesel Mazda 3
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
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.