Mazda 2
From 187,376 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer 2s fare better: 2019 models pass at 89.6% vs 67.3% for 2003.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play and the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 9,835 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 9,835 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 4,393 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 4,388 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 4,362 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 4,329 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 4,230 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 4,052 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 3,557 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 3,464 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 2,920 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 15.7% of 2 failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 50.3% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £135.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 74.8% while Diesel versions pass at 66.8%, a 8 percentage point gap.
Mazda 2 on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 4,617 newly registered in the past year with 4,567 leaving, a net gain of 50. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 137,757 | 4,176 | +920 | -1,418 | -498 |
| 2025 Q2 | 138,384 | 4,047 | +687 | -1,206 | -519 |
| 2025 Q1 | 138,936 | 4,014 | +1,702 | -1,197 | +505 |
| 2024 Q4 | 138,614 | 3,831 | +1,308 | -746 | +562 |
| 2024 Q3 | 138,346 | 3,537 | +2,584 | -1,323 | +1,261 |
| 2024 Q2 | 137,282 | 3,340 | +1,738 | -852 | +886 |
| 2024 Q1 | 136,415 | 3,321 | +1,887 | -1,198 | +689 |
| 2023 Q4 | 135,879 | 3,168 | +1,334 | -851 | +483 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Tamura | Petrol | 16,293 | 16% |
| 2 Ts | Gas | 12,700 | 13% |
| 2 Sport | Petrol | 9,133 | 9% |
| 2 Ts2 | Petrol | 8,959 | 9% |
| 2 Sport Nav | Petrol | 7,273 | 7% |
| 2 Se-L | Petrol | 5,052 | 5% |
| 2 Gt Sport Nav+ | Petrol | 4,650 | 5% |
| 2 Se | Petrol | 4,572 | 5% |
| 2 Se-L Nav | Petrol | 4,405 | 4% |
| 2 Venture Edition | Petrol | 4,192 | 4% |
| 2 Gt Sport Nav Mhev | Petrol | 3,040 | 3% |
| 2 Takuya | Petrol | 2,555 | 3% |
| 2 Sport Nav Auto | Petrol | 2,519 | 3% |
| 2 Sport Venture Edition | Petrol | 2,415 | 2% |
| 2 Ts2 Auto | Petrol | 2,402 | 2% |
| 2 Se-L Nav+ | Petrol | 2,073 | 2% |
| 2 Homura Aka Mhev | Petrol | 2,056 | 2% |
| Mazda 2 Hybrid Homura Cvt | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 1,984 | 2% |
| 2 Sport Black | Petrol | 1,937 | 2% |
| 2 Sport Nav+ | Petrol | 1,835 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 89.6% | a tyre seriously damaged, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2018 | 87.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2017 | 86.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2016 | 83.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, seat belt retractor not functioning as intended |
13 earlier years
| 2015 | 81.3% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2014 | 75.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2013 | 72.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 72.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2011 | 69.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2010 | 66.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2009 | 65.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2008 | 64.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2007 | 67.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2006 | 68.5% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2005 | 65.2% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2004 | 65.4% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2003 | 67.3% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
Typical mileage
Half of all 2s tested had between 55,295 and 95,976 miles on the clock.
At 73,184 median miles, the 2 has 0.035 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mazda models
| Mazda 3 | 75.2% |
| Mazda MX-5 | 78.7% |
| Mazda 6 | 75.5% |
| Mazda CX-5 | 84.2% |
| Mazda CX-3 | 87.3% |
Common questions
What is the Mazda 2 MOT pass rate?
The Mazda 2 has a 74.5% MOT pass rate based on 187,376 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mazda 2?
The most common MOT failure on the Mazda 2 is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 9,835 failures. Other common issues include a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play.
How many Mazda 2s are on UK roads?
There are 137,757 Mazda 2s currently licensed on UK roads, with 4,176 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mazda 2 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mazda 2 is 73,184 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 55,295 and 95,976 miles.
Buying a used 2?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 74.5% pass rate and an average repair bill of £135 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.