Mazda
5
20,585 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where 5s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 14.1 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
63.4%
Pass-after-fix
5.7%
Fail
29.8%
Avg miles
105,526
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Mazda 5: challenging MOT record across 16,762 tests
The Mazda Premacy is a passenger minivan that was built by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda from 1999 to 2018.
MOT data from 16,762 tests puts this car on a 64.2% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 102,193 miles. The most common fail item is transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated, followed by failed number plate light.
The 5's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 12–20
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
12–20
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
1,035 occurrences · 5.0% of tests
- 02
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
959 occurrences · 4.7% of tests
- 03
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
940 occurrences · 4.6% of tests
- 04
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
918 occurrences · 4.5% of tests
- 05
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
844 occurrences · 4.1% of tests
- 06
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
802 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 07
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
709 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 08
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
610 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 09
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
568 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 10
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
546 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£168–£515
If every one of this 5's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Draper
Draper Drain Plug Key, 3/8 Square x 3/8 Sq. Dr.
£15.39
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Hycote
Hycote Mazda Silver Stone Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
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Autotek
Autotek Mazda Arctic White 300ml
£14.29
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Autotek
Autotek Mazda Brilliant Black 300ml
£14.29
View at My Motor World →
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Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
Recent owner-reported faults
- 11 Mar 2014
Phantom fault with 2012/62 Ma
Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 1 reports indexed
Recall history
5 UK recalls on record.
The 5 has 5 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a 5?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 5 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.