Mazda Cx-5 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Mazda Cx-5 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Mazda Cx-5 passed on its first attempt in 84.3%, and its overall record sits +5.3 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mazda Cx-5 in the 2023–2025 data: 223,711 tests across 12 model years (2012–2023). 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 Cx-5 MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mazda Cx-5, the Visibility 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 Cx-5's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Mazda Cx-5 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mazda Cx-5, each with how many of the model's 223,711 tests it was noted on.

• "Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt" (Minor) — noted on about 6,236 Mazda Cx-5 tests, 2.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 5,147 Mazda Cx-5 tests, 2.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 3,990 Mazda Cx-5 tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
• "Track rod end ball joint has excessive play" (Major) — noted on about 3,751 Mazda Cx-5 tests, 1.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 3,528 Mazda Cx-5 tests, 1.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick" (Major) — noted on about 3,428 Mazda Cx-5 tests, 1.5% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Mazda Cx-5 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Mazda Cx-5 model year on record is 2023 (97.0% across 203 tests), and the weakest is 2012 (76.7%). The gap between them is 20.3 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Mazda Cx-5 reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.3 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 Cx-5 Owners

These checks follow this Mazda Cx-5's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mazda Cx-5.

• the suspension joints — “track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or 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.

• the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

  Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

• the coil springs — “coil spring fractured or broken”

  Look up inside each wheel arch with a torch, all the way round the spring. A snapped spring usually breaks at the very bottom coil, where a quick glance will not reach.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mazda Cx-5. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Mazda Cx-5 MOT & Reliability