Mazda 6
From 99,587 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer 6s fare better: 2021 models pass at 91.3% vs 58.5% for 2004.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning and a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 3,078 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 | 3,078 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 2,482 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 2,232 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 2,145 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 2,034 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 1,934 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 1,863 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 1,808 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 1,358 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 1,353 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 51.3% of failures are serious: 44.6% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 6.7% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £105.
The warranty question
A new 6 passes its MOT 93.3% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 81.8%, a 11.5 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 77.1%. With an average repair bill of £105 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a 6 that's past its third birthday.
Mazda 6 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 5,628 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 5 newly registered, a net loss of 5,623. At this rate, roughly 11 years until none remain. Now at 56% of its peak (110,403 in 2016 Q1).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 52,653 | 9,208 | +2 | -1,287 | -1,285 |
| 2025 Q2 | 54,094 | 9,052 | +2 | -1,457 | -1,455 |
| 2025 Q1 | 55,665 | 8,936 | +0 | -1,391 | -1,391 |
| 2024 Q4 | 57,111 | 8,881 | +1 | -1,493 | -1,492 |
| 2024 Q3 | 58,606 | 8,878 | +2 | -1,436 | -1,434 |
| 2024 Q2 | 60,115 | 8,803 | +5 | -1,303 | -1,298 |
| 2024 Q1 | 61,482 | 8,734 | +2 | -1,360 | -1,358 |
| 2023 Q4 | 62,979 | 8,595 | +2 | -1,228 | -1,226 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Sport Nav D | Diesel | 8,286 | 19% |
| 6 Se-L Nav D | Diesel | 4,736 | 11% |
| 6 Ts | Gas | 3,401 | 8% |
| 6 Sport Nav | Petrol | 3,092 | 7% |
| 6 Sport D | Diesel | 2,604 | 6% |
| 6 Sport Nav D Auto | Diesel | 2,600 | 6% |
| 6 Se-L Nav | Petrol | 2,305 | 5% |
| 6 Sport Nav + | Petrol | 2,193 | 5% |
| 6 Ts2 | Gas | 1,818 | 4% |
| 6 Sport | Petrol | 1,624 | 4% |
| 6 Ts2 D | Diesel | 1,366 | 3% |
| 6 Se-L | Petrol | 1,286 | 3% |
| 6 Takuya | Petrol | 1,089 | 3% |
| 6 Se-L Nav D Auto | Diesel | 989 | 2% |
| 6 Se-L Nav Auto | Petrol | 893 | 2% |
| 6 Sport Nav + D | Diesel | 889 | 2% |
| 6 Ts2 Auto | Petrol | 873 | 2% |
| 6 Se-L D | Diesel | 849 | 2% |
| 6 Gt Sport Nav + Auto | Petrol | 802 | 2% |
| 6 Ts Auto | Petrol | 802 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 91.3% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2020 | 93.3% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2019 | 88.9% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2018 | 85.8% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a tyre seriously damaged |
16 earlier years
| 2017 | 84.5% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 81.8% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2015 | 80% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2014 | 77.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2013 | 77.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2012 | 70.2% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2011 | 68.4% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2010 | 67.8% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2009 | 67.4% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2008 | 64.5% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2007 | 63.5% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2006 | 63.4% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2005 | 58.3% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 2004 | 58.5% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated |
| 2003 | 57.3% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 2002 | 55.4% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
Typical mileage
Half of all 6s tested had between 67,434 and 122,806 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 92,005 median miles, the 6 has 0.027 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mazda models
| Mazda 2 | 74.5% |
| Mazda 3 | 75.2% |
| Mazda MX-5 | 78.7% |
| Mazda CX-5 | 84.2% |
| Mazda CX-3 | 87.3% |
Common questions
What is the Mazda 6 MOT pass rate?
The Mazda 6 has a 75.5% MOT pass rate based on 99,587 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mazda 6?
The most common MOT failure on the Mazda 6 is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 3,078 failures. Other common issues include a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning.
How many Mazda 6s are on UK roads?
There are 52,653 Mazda 6s currently licensed on UK roads, with 9,208 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mazda 6 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mazda 6 is 92,005 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 67,434 and 122,806 miles.
Buying a used 6?
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 75.5% pass rate and an average repair bill of £105 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
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.