Mazda 2 Reliability: MOT Pass Rate by Year & Engine

Verdict

The Mazda 2 passes its MOT first time on 70.5% of tests, 1.9 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (72.4%). That puts it ahead of 38% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2019 2 does best (beats 73% of cars) and the 2011 worst (beats 27%).

Of its engines, the 1.4 Petrol does best (beats 51%) and the 1.3 Petrol worst (beats 33%).

Better than average on brakes, emissions & leaks, body & structure.

Watch these weak spots

Suspension1.4×as often as a typical car

Visibility1.3×as often as a typical car

Suspension ball joints3.8×as often as a typical car

Track rod ends2.3×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

Mazda 2Typical car, same age & mileage

Best and worst years

By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.

Beats 56%

Beats 55%

Beats 47%

Beats 50%

Beats 50%

Beats 33%

Beats 33%

Beats 32%

Beats 27%

Beats 31%

Beats 32%

Beats 38%

Beats 42%

Beats 49%

Beats 64%

Beats 69%

Beats 73%

Beats 75%

Beats 66%

Beats 75%

Beats 64%

Engines

All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

Engine	Years	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	2004–2015	521,113	64.9%	Beats 33%	D
1.5 Petrol	2007–2023	433,169	79.2%	Beats 47%	C
1.4 Petrol	2003–2012	53,799	61.7%	Beats 51%	C
1.4 Diesel	2004–2009	20,213	51.5%	Beats 26%	D
1.5 Diesel	2015–2016	5,735	77.6%	Beats 47%	C
1.6 Diesel	2009–2012	5,507	56.6%	Beats 22%	D
1.2 Petrol	2004–2004	1,152	56.7%	Beats 47%	C

Where it fails

Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.

Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical

Suspension: 11.8% of tests fail on suspension, against 8.6% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Suspension

11.8% vs 8.6%

Lights & electrics

9.9% vs 10.8%

Tyres

6.3% vs 5.9%

Visibility

6.1% vs 4.7%

Brakes

4.5% vs 6.0%

Steering

3.3% vs 1.5%

Emissions & leaks

1.7% vs 2.6%

Body & structure

1.4% vs 2.9%

Seat belts & airbags

1.2% vs 0.8%

Wheels

0.2% vs 0.3%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Suspension ball joints 3.8× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering.
Track rod ends 2.3× typical
Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres.
Windscreen wipers 1.6× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail.
Shock absorbers 2.2× typical
Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers.
Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
Coil springs
Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil (often the bottom one) and listen for clunks over bumps.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

Mazda 2Typical car

Most common MOT failures

Item	This car	Typical	vs typical
Suspension ball joints	5.0%	1.3%	3.8×
Tyre damage & cracking	3.9%	3.4%	1.2×
Windscreen wipers	3.7%	2.3%	1.6×
Coil springs	3.4%	2.6%	1.3×
Sidelights	3.4%	2.5%	1.3×
Headlight aim	3.2%	2.9%	1.1×
Track rod ends	2.7%	1.2%	2.3×
Headlight bulbs & units	2.5%	1.9%	1.3×
Shock absorbers	2.2%	1.0%	2.2×
Windscreen washers	2.1%	2.0%	1.0×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defect	per 1,000
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn	56.9
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen	36.8
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened	33.9
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements	31.9
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	30.0
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play	26.4
A tyre seriously damaged	25.9
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen	21.3

Check another car

Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.

Every year and engine

Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

2023 Mazda 21 engine91.0% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Petrol	2,055	91.0%	Beats 64%	B

2022 Mazda 21 engine92.0% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Petrol	6,973	92.0%	Beats 75%	B

2021 Mazda 21 engine90.6% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Petrol	10,580	90.6%	Beats 66%	B

2020 Mazda 21 engine90.7% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Petrol	15,865	90.7%	Beats 75%	B

2019 Mazda 21 engine89.5% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Petrol	41,127	89.5%	Beats 73%	B

2018 Mazda 21 engine87.9% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Petrol	47,687	87.9%	Beats 69%	B

2017 Mazda 21 engine85.8% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Petrol	52,420	85.8%	Beats 64%	B

2016 Mazda 22 engines81.9% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Petrol	75,908	82.0%	Beats 49%	C
1.5 Diesel	3,541	78.3%	Beats 47%	C

2015 Mazda 23 engines79.5% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.5 Petrol	73,084	79.8%	Beats 44%	C
1.3 Petrol	12,751	78.2%	Beats 34%	D
1.5 Diesel	2,194	76.4%	Beats 47%	C

2014 Mazda 22 engines76.1% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	69,453	75.7%	Beats 38%	D
1.5 Petrol	5,159	80.9%	Beats 47%	C

2013 Mazda 22 engines71.1% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	68,312	70.7%	Beats 31%	D
1.5 Petrol	7,740	75.0%	Beats 46%	C

2012 Mazda 24 engines68.3% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	65,847	67.9%	Beats 30%	D
1.5 Petrol	10,107	70.8%	Beats 39%	D
1.4 Petrol	2,107	73.9%	Beats 45%	C
1.6 Diesel	1,023	58.1%	Beats 15%	E

2011 Mazda 24 engines64.0% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	71,212	63.6%	Beats 26%	D
1.5 Petrol	16,068	65.3%	Beats 30%	D
1.4 Petrol	4,511	69.2%	Beats 31%	D
1.6 Diesel	3,180	57.9%	Beats 23%	D

2010 Mazda 23 engines60.4% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	87,982	60.6%	Beats 32%	D
1.5 Petrol	21,466	59.1%	Beats 27%	D
1.4 Petrol	1,705	67.1%	Beats 39%	D

2009 Mazda 24 engines58.0% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	82,686	59.1%	Beats 36%	D
1.5 Petrol	21,860	56.6%	Beats 30%	D
1.4 Diesel	7,943	51.1%	Beats 18%	E
1.6 Diesel	1,304	52.2%	Beats 24%	D

2008 Mazda 23 engines55.2% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	51,162	55.9%	Beats 33%	D
1.5 Petrol	20,154	55.2%	Beats 35%	D
1.4 Diesel	5,970	49.4%	Beats 20%	D

2007 Mazda 24 engines60.1% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	12,072	63.8%	Beats 59%	C
1.3 Petrol	9,822	57.4%	Beats 43%	C
1.5 Petrol	4,916	57.0%	Beats 45%	C
1.4 Diesel	1,515	57.5%	Beats 47%	C

2006 Mazda 22 engines59.4% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	13,110	59.8%	Beats 50%	C
1.4 Diesel	1,340	56.1%	Beats 50%	C

2005 Mazda 22 engines57.3% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	10,912	58.0%	Beats 48%	C
1.4 Diesel	1,814	52.7%	Beats 44%	C

2004 Mazda 24 engines57.6% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	7,047	59.1%	Beats 59%	C
1.3 Petrol	1,886	58.2%	Beats 56%	C
1.4 Diesel	1,631	50.6%	Beats 38%	D
1.2 Petrol	1,152	56.7%	Beats 47%	C

2003 Mazda 21 engine58.1% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.4 Petrol	2,335	58.1%	Beats 56%	C

FAQ

What is the Mazda 2 MOT pass rate?

70.5% of MOT tests on the Mazda 2 were passed first time, based on 1,040,688 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2003–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 72.4% of the time.

Is the Mazda 2 reliable?

On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 38% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Mazda 2 year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2019 2 does best for its age and mileage: it beats 73% of cars on UK roads. The 2011 does worst: it beats 27%.

Which Mazda 2 engine is best?

Across all years, the 1.4 Petrol does best: it beats 51% of cars on UK roads. The 1.3 Petrol does worst: it beats 33%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Mazda 2?

The most common failure items are suspension ball joints, tyre damage & cracking, windscreen wipers. Compared with similar cars, suspension ball joints comes up 3.8× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.

Mazda 2 reliability

Verdict

Watch these weak spots

MOT pass rate by age

Best and worst years

Engines

Where it fails

Every MOT area

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Pass rate by mileage

Most common MOT failures

Specific defects found

Every year and engine

FAQ