Mazda Bongo MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Mazda Bongo MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Mazda Bongo passed on its first attempt in 59.7%, and its overall record sits −12.0 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mazda Bongo in the 2023–2025 data: 30,855 tests across 22 model years (2000–2021). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Mazda Bongo MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mazda Bongo, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Mazda Bongo's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Mazda Bongo DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mazda Bongo, each with how many of the model's 30,855 tests it was noted on.

• "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (Major) — noted on about 2,402 Mazda Bongo tests, 7.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 1,671 Mazda Bongo tests, 5.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 1,572 Mazda Bongo tests, 5.1% of the model's MOT record.
• "Rear fog lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 1,366 Mazda Bongo tests, 4.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 1,357 Mazda Bongo tests, 4.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Major) — noted on about 982 Mazda Bongo tests, 3.2% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mazda Bongo Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mazda Bongo model year on record is 2021 (77.2% across 167 tests), and the weakest is 2011 (64.8%). The gap between them is 12.4 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mazda Bongo reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.1 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Mazda Bongo Owners

These checks follow this Mazda Bongo's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mazda Bongo.

• corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”

  Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.

• the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• the suspension joints — “ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated”

  With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mazda Bongo. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mazda Bongo MOT & Reliability