Mazda CX-3, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
24,590 Mazda CX-3s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 83.5% of initial MOT tests, 11.2 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific CX-3? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Mazda CX-3 at the MOT
83.5% of 25,302 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the CX-3 151st of 575 models. Mazda CX-3s aged 3 to 5 years passed 88.7% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 6 to 10 years that fell to 82.2%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Mazda CX-3 tests in 2025.
Where CX-3s fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Mazda CX-3 tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (10.1%), coil spring fractured or broken (8%) and brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (7.7%).
The MOT page lists every common CX-3 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The CX-3's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
-
Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.22.2% of CX-3 failure items
-
Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.20.2% of CX-3 failure items
-
Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.16.9% of CX-3 failure items
Mazda CX-3s in the UK
24,590 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 233% since the end of 2016.
- Change since 2016
- +233%from 7,392 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2018half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2018 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 3against 7,716 in 2019
- Declared off the road
- 2170.9% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Mazda CX-3s since 2015
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2015 | 2,413 |
| End of 2016 | 7,392 |
| End of 2017 | 12,281 |
| End of 2018 | 17,754 |
| End of 2019 | 25,153 |
| End of 2020 | 25,063 |
| End of 2021 | 24,750 |
| End of 2022 | 25,083 |
| End of 2023 | 24,917 |
| End of 2024 | 25,023 |
| End of 2025 | 24,809 |
| End of June 2026 | 24,590 |
How old they are
Licensed Mazda CX-3s by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 7,463 | 7,716 |
| 2018 | 5,539 | 5,790 |
| 2017 | 4,771 | 5,016 |
| 2016 | 4,734 | 5,085 |
| 2015 | 2,283 | 2,491 |
2,283 CX-3s first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 92% of the 2,491 first registered that year.
CX-3 engines and fuel
2.0 litre engines made up 89% of Mazda CX-3 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.5 litre at 10%. Petrol accounts for 89% of licensed CX-3s and diesel for 11%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 25,302 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed CX-3s
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 21,845 | 89% |
| Diesel | 2,744 | 11% |
| Hybrid electric | 1 | <0.1% |
Mazda CX-3 recalls
5 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Mazda CX-3. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every CX-3 is affected.
-
Jan 2022 R/2021/435
Low pressure fuel pump impeller might become deformed
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The impeller in the low-pressure fuel pump may become deformed causing fuel pump failure.
- Remedy
- Replace the low-pressure fuel pump with an improved part.
-
Sep 2018 R/2018/237
Control logic which monitors the charging control program fails to divert electrical power away from capacitor in the event of a fault
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On the subject vehicles the control logic which monitors the charging control program fails to divert the electrical power away from the capacitor when a fault is detected within the capacitor circuit. This can cause a short circuit inside the DCDC converter and could cause the engine to stall or overheating of the DCDC converter itself which could cause a fire. The fault is accompanied by the i-ELOOP warning light being illuminated on the instrument cluster along with the i-Stop warning light flashing The engine may in some circumstances stall and fail to restart. In extreme cases the DCDC converter could overheat and cause a fire
- Remedy
- Reprogram the PCM with the correct control logic. If error code U3000: 49-DCDC is stored the DCDC Converter must also be replaced.
-
Apr 2018 R/2018/087
Software error can cause engine to fail
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On the subject vehicles the engine protection logic does not work properly. When the engine speed reaches maximum with no engine load present the software is unable to cut the engine. This could in extreme cases cause catastrophic engine failure. Immediate and catastrophic engine damage may result.
- Remedy
- Re-program the engine protection software within the PCM.
-
Jul 2017 R/2017/203
Brake hose retaining clip may fail
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Surface finishing of brake hose retaining clip may be insufficient causing possibility of corrosion and failure of clip.
- Remedy
- Replace brake hose clips with modified ones
-
May 2017 R/2017/163
Tailgate may drop down without warning
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Water may penetrate the tailgate strut cylinder. This may cause corrosion which may affect the strut's attachment.
- Remedy
- Replace both tailgate struts on affected vehicles
Other Mazda models
The most-tested Mazda models in 2025, against the CX-3's 83.5% MOT pass rate.
Mazda CX-3 FAQs
How many Mazda CX-3s are there in the UK?
24,590 Mazda CX-3s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 217 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Mazda CX-3 reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is an 83.5% first-time pass rate for the Mazda CX-3 across 25,302 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Mazda CX-3 had any recalls?
5 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Mazda CX-3. The most recent was published in January 2022. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Mazda CX-3?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: tyres, brakes and suspension. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a Mazda CX-3's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found a CX-3?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,389 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Mazda history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Mazda VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to July 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.