Mazda CX-5 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 72,748 initial MOT tests on the Mazda CX-5 in Great Britain, and 80.5% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Mazda CX-5 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 72,748
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 80.5%
Failed at firstIncluding 3.2% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 19.5%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 5.6%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 2,101 off the road (SORN): 93,284

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the CX-5 fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Suspension
6.4%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Brakes
4.3%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
3Tyres
3.9%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
4Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
3.6%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
5Steering
3.1%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
6Visibility
2.8%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
1.8%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Seat belts and airbags
0.4%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
9Body, chassis and structure
0.2%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
10Road wheels
0.2%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Mechanical brake componentsBrakes3.2%
Steering linkage componentsSteering3.0%
ConditionTyres2.3%
SpringsSuspension2.3%
Suspension armsSuspension2.3%
Anti-roll barsSuspension2.2%
WipersVisibility1.9%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks1.7%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2023	380	92.1%	1.6%
2022	7,248	90.4%	2.7%
2021	5,483	88.3%	3.3%
2020	5,646	87.9%	4.2%
2019	10,119	86.9%	4.2%
2018	10,099	84.7%	5.5%
2017	7,262	81.4%	6.4%
2016	6,997	74.7%	6.7%
2015	6,840	71.9%	7.4%
2014	6,533	68.3%	7.5%
2013	4,798	65.3%	9.1%
2012	1,331	62.7%	8.7%

Mileage

CX-5 mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	24,200 miles	6,144
3 years	29,200 miles	5,509
4 years	35,700 miles	5,601
5 years	43,500 miles	8,405
6 years	51,800 miles	9,811
7 years	61,900 miles	7,832
8 years	72,700 miles	7,090
9 years	81,700 miles	6,497
10 years	89,100 miles	6,807
11 years	96,900 miles	5,763
12 years	101,800 miles	2,805
13 years	103,500 miles	448

Checking a particular CX-5?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Mazda CX-5: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Mazda CX-5?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Mazda CX-5 was suspension: 6.4% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came brakes (4.3%) and tyres (3.9%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Mazda CX-5?

80.5% of 72,748 initial MOT tests on the Mazda CX-5 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 3.2% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Mazda CX-5 is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 5.6% of initial tests on the Mazda CX-5 found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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