In 2025, 114,155 Mazda 2 cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 67% passed first time, compared with 68% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the 2 about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 140 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 6 years old, 88% of 2s passed first time (all cars that age: 84%). By 20 years, that figure is 58% (all cars: 58%). It starts out ahead of the average car but falls behind from around 15 years, which is worth knowing if you are buying an older one.
Mazda 2 All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | 2 passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 years | 8,145 | 88% | 84% | 33,701 |
| 7 years | 8,083 | 86% | 81% | 41,001 |
| 8 years | 7,668 | 82% | 78% | 48,025 |
| 9 years | 10,066 | 78% | 75% | 56,045 |
| 10 years | 9,934 | 76% | 72% | 61,514 |
| 11 years | 8,348 | 67% | 69% | 63,673 |
| 12 years | 8,406 | 63% | 66% | 71,147 |
| 13 years | 8,634 | 62% | 63% | 73,574 |
| 14 years | 10,173 | 59% | 61% | 79,529 |
| 15 years | 11,517 | 54% | 59% | 88,568 |
| 16 years | 10,957 | 53% | 58% | 92,241 |
| 17 years | 6,850 | 50% | 57% | 97,876 |
| 18 years | 2,307 | 58% | 57% | 89,136 |
| 19 years | 1,018 | 57% | 57% | 80,037 |
| 20 years | 875 | 58% | 58% | 82,795 |
What fails most on a Mazda 2
The area that lets the 2 down most, relative to other cars, is steering: 4.5% of tests failed on it, 2.0 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on body and structure and emissions and leaks.
Share of 2 tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 7.9% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 5.8% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 4.9% |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 4.9% |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | Visibility | 4.1% |
| A tyre seriously damaged | Tyres | 3.5% |
What to check when buying a used 2
Based on where the 2 fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Steering: Feel for play or knocking through the wheel, and check power-steering fluid isn’t leaking. More
- Suspension: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, look for leaking shock absorbers, and check the car sits level. Ask whether springs, bushes or drop links have been replaced. Repair guide
- Visibility: Check the windscreen for chips in the driver’s view, the wipers for smearing and the washers for working jets. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific 2
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a 2Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Mazda 2?
In 2025, 67% of Mazda 2 cars passed their MOT first time, across 114,155 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 68%.
What do Mazda 2 cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (7.9% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (5.8% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (4.9% of tests).
Other Mazda models
Mazda 3 (69%), Mazda MX-5 (74%), Mazda CX-5 (78%), Mazda 6 (69%), Mazda CX-3 (83%). All Mazda models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.