Mazda B Series MOT failures and reliability
In 2023 the Mazda B Series took 1,874 MOT tests in Britain and passed 58% of them first time, below the national average of 71% for all cars. The figures below come from the DVSA's record of every test, so they show what testers actually found on these cars rather than what owners report.
- MOT tests in 2023
- 1,874
- First-time pass rate
- 58%
- All cars
- 71%
What the B Series fails on
Share of tests with at least one failure in each area, against the figure for all cars.
- Lights and electrics23.6% (all cars 11.3%)
- Body and structure16.7% (all cars 3.5%)
- Suspension13.9% (all cars 9.0%)
- Brakes13.9% (all cars 6.8%)
- Visibility7.4% (all cars 4.8%)
- Exhaust and emissions4.5% (all cars 3.1%)
- Tyres4.3% (all cars 6.4%)
- Steering2.6% (all cars 1.8%)
Most common failure items
Share of tests on which each item was recorded.
- Rear fog lamp: not working 7.2%
- Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt 5.2%
- Position lamp: not working 5.2%
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded 4.2%
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively 3.8%
- Headlamp aim: too low 3.6%
- Service brake performance: excessively binding 3.1%
- Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength 3.0%
Most common advisories
- Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material 25.5%
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 13.5%
- Chassis condition: is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced 9.8%
- Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive 8.7%
- Wheel bearings: has slight play 8.1%
- Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread 7.7%
- Tyres, condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing 6.5%
- Chassis condition: or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security 6.1%
Typical mileage by age
Average odometer reading at the MOT, by the car's age in years at the test.
| Age at test | Average mileage |
|---|---|
| 17 years | 111,712 miles |
| 18 years | 113,376 miles |
| 19 years | 118,910 miles |
| 20 years | 120,210 miles |
Check a particular B Series
Model figures tell you what to look out for. To see one car's own MOT history, mileage and tax, enter its registration.
Other Mazda models
- Mazda 2
- Mazda 3
- Mazda MX 5
- Mazda 6
- Mazda CX 5
- Mazda CX 3
- Mazda 5
- Mazda Bongo
- Mazda CX 30
- Mazda RX 8
- Mazda 323
- Mazda CX 7
Source: Department for Transport, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023, cars and light vans, normal tests only. Pass rates are first-time passes; a pass after repair at the test station counts as a fail. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.