All generations and engines together · 16,138 MOT tests in the 2025 data
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 16,111 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
On cars built between November 2018 and October 2019, the automated Smart Brake Support system could activate on its own and bring the car to an unexpected stop with no obstacle present. Mazda recalled the affected cars and reprogrammed the SBS software free of charge at a dealer. Because these are early cars that have often changed hands more than once, it's worth checking the registration on the DVSA recall checker before you buy, since a forgotten recall is a common way this slips through.
Owners have reported the key fob going unrecognised, doors locking or unlocking on their own, and the stop-start system refusing to restart the engine, in one case only cured by switching stop-start off altogether. Honest John's own CX-30 file flags these as a recurring theme alongside a temporary shutdown of the safety and driver-support systems. It's shown up on 2020-2021 cars at low mileage, which points to a software or wiring quirk rather than something that wears in with age.
A handful of owners have reported the battery going flat or failing outright within the first few months, in one case twice before 1,000 miles. The mild-hybrid system and the car's own stop-start electronics ask more of the 12V battery than a conventional car, so one that's already marginal tends to show up sooner. Replacement outside the 3-year warranty runs roughly £150-250.
On cars fitted with the powered tailgate, Mazda recalled examples built 2019-2020 because the tailgate could partially lower on its own from fully open. A related report flagged the same tailgate's retaining force as insufficient in hot weather. The fix is free at a dealer under recall; check it's been done and cycle the tailgate a few times at the viewing. Doesn't apply to trims with a manual tailgate.
A 2023 recall covered cars where the rear-view or 360-degree camera image could fail to appear on the centre screen, put down to a software processing fault, with a related EU recall reported in January 2024 for the same symptom. It's fixed free with a software update under recall. Worth checking the camera comes up cleanly every time reverse is selected, since a dropout on a car that hasn't had the recall done is a known issue, not just bad luck.
Built from the two sections above.
Same segment (Small SUVs), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.