Mazda Bongo
From 16,480 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Bongos fare better: 2020 models pass at 73.3% vs 63.4% for 1996.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are 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, a suspension pin and bush or joint excessively worn. The top issue, 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, caused 2,654 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| 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 | 2,654 |
| vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced | 1,288 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 1,052 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 913 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 612 |
| an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 598 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 569 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 466 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 449 |
| body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point | 445 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 43.6% of Bongo failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 16.8% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £185.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 69.1% while LP versions pass at 61.6%, a 7 percentage point gap.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 73.3% | an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2019 | 72% | an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp 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 |
| 2018 | 71.6% | an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp 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 |
| 2017 | 71.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
22 earlier years
| 2016 | 66.8% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2015 | 67.8% | 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 |
| 2014 | 64.6% | 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 pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2013 | 63.2% | 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 pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2012 | 65% | 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 |
| 2011 | 61.1% | 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 |
| 2010 | 60.7% | 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 |
| 2009 | 62.4% | 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 |
| 2008 | 60.8% | 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 |
| 2007 | 61.3% | 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 |
| 2006 | 63.3% | 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 |
| 2005 | 64.8% | 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 | 69% | 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 |
| 2003 | 70.2% | 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 | 70.7% | 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 pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2001 | 70.1% | 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 pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2000 | 72.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1999 | 71.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1998 | 65.8% | 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 |
| 1997 | 67.2% | 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 |
| 1996 | 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, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1995 | 62.3% | 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 |
Typical mileage
Half of all Bongos tested had between 97,365 and 154,675 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 127,404 median miles, the Bongo 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 6 | 75.5% |
| Mazda CX-5 | 84.2% |
Common questions
What is the Mazda Bongo MOT pass rate?
The Mazda Bongo has a 65.7% MOT pass rate based on 16,480 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mazda Bongo?
The most common MOT failure on the Mazda Bongo is 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, which caused 2,654 failures. Other common issues include vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced.
What is the typical mileage of a Mazda Bongo at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mazda Bongo is 127,404 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 97,365 and 154,675 miles.
Buying a used Bongo?
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 65.7% pass rate and an average repair bill of £185 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 43.6% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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.