Mazda 3 reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: Mazda

Model: 3

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 702,048 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

75.7%

Share of this model's 702,048 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

47.1 mpg

CO2 emission

137 g/km

Euro emissions

Euro 6

Tax cost

£205/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

84,348

Moderate average mileage in the current pool.

Life expectancy miles

96,744

Lower mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

12.0

Comfortable mid-life age pattern.

Vehicles represented

97,572

97,570 valid MOT, 2 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

702,048

702,048 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Uncommon

97,572On the road

Insight summary

Mazda 3 is an uncommon model in this snapshot, with 97,572 represented vehicles and 0.23% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 75.7% from 702,048 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 47. The current pool shows an average of 84,348 miles and an average age of 12.0 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 96,744 miles. Petrol leads the fuel split, followed by diesel, and the most frequent defect themes are coil springs, lighting and engine warning light. The practical read is that the Mazda 3 looks like a solid used-car baseline rather than a rare find, with age, mileage and common wear items doing most of the explaining.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
PETROL	85,285
DIESEL	12,237
HYBRID ELECTRIC (CLEAN)	45
LPG	2
OTHER	2
GAS DIESEL	1

Euro NCAP Safety

NCAP rating

5 / 5

Adult

98%

Children

87%

Pedestrian

81%

Safety systems

73%

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	12,848
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	12,010
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))	11,539
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	10,709
Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	9,786
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	8,301
Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	6,840
Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	6,763
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	6,440
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	6,381
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	6,205
Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	5,018
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	4,882
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))	4,877
Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	4,788
Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	4,730
Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))	4,574
Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))	4,521
Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	4,479
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	4,443
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	4,314
Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	3,509
Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	3,361
Offside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))	3,140
Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))	3,006

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 157,464 defects across this top 25 set

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

12,848

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

12,010

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

11,539

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

10,709

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

9,786

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

8,301

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

6,840

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

6,763

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

6,440

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

6,381

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

6,205

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

5,018

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

4,882

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

4,877

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

4,788

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

4,730

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

4,574

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

4,521

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

4,479

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

4,443

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

4,314

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

3,509

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

3,361

Offside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

3,140

Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

3,006

Mazda 3 reliability and MOT data