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Mazda MX-5, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls

85,539 Mazda MX-5s are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 74.9% of initial MOT tests, 2.6 points above the 72.3% UK average.

Looking at a specific MX-5? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.

Mazda MX-5 at the MOT

74.9% of 90,896 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the MX-5 267th of 575 models. Mazda MX-5s aged 3 to 5 years passed 92.8% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 69.4%.

First-time pass rate, 2025

Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.

  • Mazda MX-574.9%
  • All Mazda modelsThe MX-5 is 2.2 pts ahead72.7%
  • All cars72.3%

Pass rate by age at test

Mazda MX-5 tests in 2025.

  • 3 to 5 years5,519 tests92.8%
  • 6 to 10 years18,834 tests87.3%
  • 11 years and over65,421 tests69.4%

Where MX-5s fail

Share of all failure items recorded on Mazda MX-5 tests in 2025.

  • Suspension23.7%
  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment19.8%
  • Brakes18%
  • Noise, emissions and leaks10.7%
  • Visibility7.5%

The items testers recorded most often were coil spring fractured or broken (5.1%), component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.1%) and wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (4%).

The MOT page lists every common MX-5 MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.

Full Mazda MX-5 MOT record

What to look at on a viewing

The MX-5's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.

  1. Suspension

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.23.7% of MX-5 failure items

  2. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

    Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.19.8% of MX-5 failure items

  3. 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.18% of MX-5 failure items

Mazda MX-5s in the UK

85,539 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has fallen 12% since the end of 2014.

Change since 2014
−12%from 97,371 licensed
Typical year of first use
2010half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2010 or earlier
First registered in 2025
1,511against 4,720 in 2017
Declared off the road
31,07427% of those registered, under SORN

Licensed Mazda MX-5s since 2014

Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.

Show the figures
DateLicensed
End of 201497,371
End of 201596,614
End of 201696,821
End of 201796,420
End of 201895,578
End of 201994,760
End of 202090,553
End of 202188,416
End of 202286,791
End of 202383,794
End of 202481,360
End of 202579,572
End of June 202685,539

How old they are

Licensed Mazda MX-5s by year of first use.

  • Licensed at the end of 2025
  • First registered that year

A further 15,551 were first used before 2006.

Show the figures
First usedLicensed, end 2025First registered that year
20251,4541,511
20241,2331,299
20231,5791,690
20221,2781,365
20211,3821,491
20201,0351,105
20193,8424,130
20184,0054,343
20174,3534,720
20163,8314,283
20152,7633,124
20142,619
20132,850
20122,832
20113,077
20104,133
20093,574
20084,396
20076,030
20064,577

2,763 MX-5s first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 88% of the 3,124 first registered that year.

MX-5 engine sizes

2.0 litre engines made up 40% of Mazda MX-5 MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.8 litre at 38%. Petrol accounts for 100% of licensed MX-5s.

Engine size at MOT, 2025

Share of 90,886 initial MOT tests in 2025.

  • 2.0 litre40.1%
  • 1.8 litre37.9%
  • 1.6 litre11.9%
  • 1.5 litre10.1%

Mazda MX-5 recalls

9 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Mazda MX-5. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every MX-5 is affected.

  1. Nov 2025 R/2025/442

    Fuel Pipe Concern

    MX-5s built May 2015 to Apr 2018 · 6,013 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    On affected vehicles The brackets used to secure the fuel pipes to the engine may not be tightened sufficiently. If the engine is repeatedly operated at high speed such as during circuit driving vibrations may cause the fuel pipe to resonate potentially causing the pipe to leak. The fuel leakage may increase the risk of fire.
    Remedy
    Replace the fuel pipe with a modified part.

  2. Sep 2025 R/2025/202

    MX-5 Traction/Stability Light May Fail to Illuminate

    MX-5s built Nov 2023 to Feb 2025 · 1,914 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    On affected vehicles the Traction Control System (TCS)/Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) indicator light may not illuminate when abnormal yaw rate characteristics are detected due to a software diagnostic programming error. This issue does not affect vehicle drivability or braking performance.
    Remedy
    Replace the DSC Hydraulic Unit/Control Module (HU/CM) with a modified part that includes improved software.

  3. Feb 2025 R/2025/043

    MX-5 Parking Assist Unit Reprogramming

    MX-5s built Nov 2023 to Sep 2024 · 720 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    On affected vehicles when reversing obstructions may not be detected correctly due to inappropriate software in the parking assist unit which may increase the risk of an accident.
    Remedy
    Reprogram the parking assist unit.

  4. Jan 2022 R/2021/435

    Low pressure fuel pump impeller might become deformed

    MX-5s built Apr 2018 to Oct 2018 · 26,974 vehicles across the whole recall

    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.

  5. Sep 2019 R/2019/265

    Undershield metal bracket may separate from vehicle

    MX-5s built May 2015 to Jul 2015 · 968 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The metal bracket used to secure an under shield may separate from the vehicle.
    Remedy
    Replacement of the front under shield with a modified part

  6. Feb 2019 R/2019/036

    Models fitted with automatic transmission may unexpectedly downshift

    MX-5s built Oct 2016 to Nov 2018 · 697 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Automatic Transmission may unexpectedly downshift.
    Remedy
    Reprogram of the software contained within the Transmission Control Module.

  7. 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

    MX-5s built May 2015 to Apr 2017 · 965 vehicles across the whole recall

    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.

  8. Dec 2003 R/2003/099

    Fog lamp security concern

    28,339 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Repeated thermal expansion and shrinkage in use may cause the front fog light socket holder to become detached from the fog light case. As a consequence an exposed hot bulb may come into contact with part of the vehicle body or fittings.
    Remedy
    Attach a spring to the rear of the fog light to prevent the socket holder detaching from the fog light case.
How to check a specific MX-5 for recalls

Other Mazda models

The most-tested Mazda models in 2025, against the MX-5's 74.9% MOT pass rate.

All 11 Mazda models

Mazda MX-5 FAQs

How many Mazda MX-5s are there in the UK?

85,539 Mazda MX-5s were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 31,074 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.

Is the Mazda MX-5 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 a 74.9% first-time pass rate for the Mazda MX-5 across 90,896 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.

Has the Mazda MX-5 had any recalls?

9 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Mazda MX-5. The most recent was published in November 2025. 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 MX-5?

On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: suspension, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and brakes. 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 MX-5'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 an MX-5?

Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.

Across the 1,548 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 October 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.