Mazda MX-5 vs Volkswagen Beetle

Both are coupés & GTs. First-time MOT failure at age 7, and what each one is known to fail on.

The Mazda MX-5 is the more reliable of the two. It fails its first MOT at age 7 10.9% of the time, against 25.8% for the Volkswagen Beetle.

Mazda MX-5

10.9%

fail at age 7

Rank 16 of 239 · 33k miles at 7 · 41,937 tests

Volkswagen Beetle

25.8%

fail at age 7

Rank 198 of 239 · 45k miles at 7 · 21,836 tests

What each one fails on

Measured

The faults each records most at ages 6 to 9. Same figures as each full report.

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively wornAdvisory11.3%

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corrodedAdvisory3.4%

Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brakeAdvisory3.0%

A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mountingAdvisory1.5%

Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brakeFail1.2%

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively wornFail0.9%

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively wornAdvisory11.9%

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively wornFail8.6%

An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source mFail6.5%

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakenedFail5.2%

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakenedAdvisory5.2%

A suspension component excessively damaged or corrodedAdvisory3.5%