52,928 tests in 2025
Mazda 6 reliability and MOT pass rate
74% passed first time. The 26% fail rate is 3.4 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 11 years old with 91,612 miles.
Pass rate
74%
22.6% of all cars failed; 26% of these did.
Fixed on the day
4.9%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
91,612 mi
11 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 2,222 | 7.7% |
| 6-9 years | 17,671 | 17.9% |
| 10-13 years | 17,187 | 28.1% |
| 14+ years | 15,841 | 35.5% |
What the 6 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension819 dangerous46.2%
- Brakes2,679 dangerous37.1%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment28 dangerous27.4%
- Tyres2,920 dangerous21.2%
- Noise, emissions and leaks31 dangerous12.4%
- Visibility5 dangerous10.6%
- Body, chassis, structure158 dangerous6.8%
- Steering24 dangerous4.6%
Is the 6 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 3 points to 26.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 5.2 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 72,231 | 9 | 23.5% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 67,352 | 9 | 24.6% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 54,318 | 10 | 25.7% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 51,725 | 11 | 26.5% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical 6 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a 6 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn1,754 tests
- 2Coil spring: fractured or broken1,640 tests
- 3Position lamp: not working1,604 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,556 tests
- 5Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements1,534 tests
- 6Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,098 tests
- 7Ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1,061 tests
- 8Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively800 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical 6 collects 3.11 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm9,068 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened6,418 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick5,901 tests
- 4Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened4,984 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn4,569 tests
- 6Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened4,316 tests
- 7Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure4,224 tests
- 8Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded3,391 tests
Questions
What is the Mazda 6 MOT pass rate?
74% of the 52,928 Mazda 6 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 26% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 4.9% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Mazda 6 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn", recorded on 1,754 failed tests, followed by "Coil spring: fractured or broken" and "Position lamp: not working". By section, suspension appears in 46.2% of failures, brakes appears in 37.1% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 27.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 7.7%; at 14+ years it was 35.5%. The median Mazda 6 tested in 2025 was 11 years old with 91,612 miles.
Is the Mazda 6 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 3 points to 26.5% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 5.2 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every 6 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 15 safety recalls naming the Mazda 6: Mazda 6 recalls.
Other Mazda models
Checking a particular 6?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.