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What to check: Mazda CX-30

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Ranked across all years of the Mazda CX-30, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

DampersRuns high on this modelLook for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 12.0% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 2.1%

Warning lights on ignitionTurn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 0.6% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 0.3%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 19.9% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 16.6%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 18.1% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 7.0%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.4% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 1.7%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Run the registration through the DVSA recall checker before you view the car.An outstanding Smart Brake Support, tailgate, or camera recall means a trip to the dealer you shouldn't have to pay for, but it also means the car's had a live safety fault.

Do a slow-speed test drive somewhere open and watch for any unprompted braking.Sudden, unexplained braking with nothing in front of you is the Smart Brake Support fault, recalled or not.

Lock and unlock with the key fob a few times, then try starting with the fob left inside your bag rather than a pocket.A 'key not recognised' message or doors locking themselves points at the reported electrical gremlins.

Sit at idle in gear and let stop-start cut the engine, then try pulling away.Hesitation or a flat refusal to restart is the fault some owners worked around by disabling stop-start entirely.

Ask if the battery has ever been replaced, and check for a recent invoice if so.A battery already swapped once under warranty is a mild flag for a car that draws it down faster than it should.

On cars with a powered tailgate, open it fully and let it sit for a minute before checking it hasn't sagged.Any noticeable drop from fully open is the recalled fault, whether or not the recall's been actioned.

Select reverse and check the camera image appears immediately and stays clean.A blank or garbled screen is the recalled camera display fault, not a one-off electrical blip.

Full Mazda CX-30 reliability report