Mazda 6 MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a Mazda 6 in Great Britain in 2025 — 56,489 tests. Figures cover every 6 first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the 6 ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
69.2%
3.1 points below the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
56,489
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
9.3%
of 6 first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
91,250
middle half: 71,250–113,750 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Mazda 6 cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 63,250 Mazda 6 cars that were taxed or on SORN: 53,165 taxed and 10,085 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Mazda 6 vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
53,165
84.1% of the 63,250 6 cars taxed or on SORN; 77 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
10,085
declared off the road by their keepers — 15.9% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed 6 cars peaked at 109,633 at the end of 2014 and has since fallen by 56,468 (51.5%) to 53,165 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 2,575 at the end of 2014 to 10,085 at the end of 2025, up 291.7%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed 6 cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

050k100k150k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed 6 cars, year 2014: 110kTaxed 6 cars, year 2015: 110kTaxed 6 cars, year 2016: 108kTaxed 6 cars, year 2017: 101kTaxed 6 cars, year 2018: 94kTaxed 6 cars, year 2019: 89kTaxed 6 cars, year 2020: 82kTaxed 6 cars, year 2021: 77kTaxed 6 cars, year 2022: 71kTaxed 6 cars, year 2023: 65kTaxed 6 cars, year 2024: 59kTaxed 6 cars, year 2025: 53k53k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed 6 cars
2014109,633
2015109,583
2016107,719
2017101,477
201894,323
201989,075
202082,414
202176,553
202271,174
202365,250
202459,072
202553,165

6 cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

05k10k15k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)6 cars on SORN, year 2014: 3k6 cars on SORN, year 2015: 4k6 cars on SORN, year 2016: 5k6 cars on SORN, year 2017: 6k6 cars on SORN, year 2018: 7k6 cars on SORN, year 2019: 8k6 cars on SORN, year 2020: 8k6 cars on SORN, year 2021: 9k6 cars on SORN, year 2022: 9k6 cars on SORN, year 2023: 9k6 cars on SORN, year 2024: 10k6 cars on SORN, year 2025: 10k10k
View this chart as a table
Year6 cars on SORN
20142,575
20153,753
20165,196
20176,199
20186,854
20197,736
20208,378
20218,507
20228,826
20239,312
20249,609
202510,085

Which model years survive

Taxed 6 cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 53,165 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 1 taxed 6 car has no recorded year of manufacture and is not in the table, so the rows add up to 53,164. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed 6 cars
20226941.3%
20216371.2%
20201,0331.9%
20194,3838.2%
20183,2306.1%
20174,5948.6%
20166,46712.2%
20156,01111.3%
20145,37010.1%
20133,6056.8%
20122,3744.5%
20113,0815.8%
20103,7977.1%
20092,6895.1%
20082,1144.0%
20071,4362.7%
20067681.4%
All other build years (five years, each under 1%)8811.7%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model name 6 under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the 6 ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, 6 vs all cars, 2025.

Mazda 6All cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Mazda 6, vehicle age 3: 91.2%Mazda 6, vehicle age 4: 90.1%Mazda 6, vehicle age 5: 88.9%Mazda 6, vehicle age 6: 86.8%Mazda 6, vehicle age 7: 82.2%Mazda 6, vehicle age 8: 77.4%Mazda 6, vehicle age 9: 73.8%Mazda 6, vehicle age 10: 70.9%Mazda 6, vehicle age 11: 68.3%Mazda 6, vehicle age 12: 65.9%Mazda 6, vehicle age 13: 60.5%Mazda 6, vehicle age 14: 58.9%Mazda 6, vehicle age 15: 58.4%Mazda 6, vehicle age 16: 58.7%Mazda 6, vehicle age 17: 53.5%Mazda 6, vehicle age 18: 52.6%Mazda 6, vehicle age 19: 55.3%Mazda 6, vehicle age 20: 52.2%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%All cars 57.6%Mazda 6 52.2%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)6 tests6 pass rateAll cars
371891.2%88.5%
465690.1%87.2%
51,04688.9%86.0%
64,38886.8%83.5%
73,21282.2%80.9%
84,64977.4%78.2%
96,72073.8%74.9%
106,26270.9%71.9%
115,70668.3%68.6%
123,76265.9%65.8%
132,55660.5%63.5%
143,34958.9%61.2%
154,19958.4%59.3%
163,00558.7%58.3%
172,51253.5%57.2%
181,76752.6%57.4%
1996655.3%57.0%
2056352.2%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The 6's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the 6 beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

6 ahead6 behind
-6-3+0+3+6Age 3: +2.7 points vs the average car3Age 4: +2.9 points vs the average carAge 5: +2.9 points vs the average car5Age 6: +3.3 points vs the average carAge 7: +1.3 points vs the average car7Age 8: -0.8 points vs the average carAge 9: -1.1 points vs the average car9Age 10: -1.0 points vs the average carAge 11: -0.3 points vs the average car11Age 12: +0.1 points vs the average carAge 13: -3.0 points vs the average car13Age 14: -2.3 points vs the average carAge 15: -0.9 points vs the average car15Age 16: +0.4 points vs the average carAge 17: -3.7 points vs the average car17Age 18: -4.8 points vs the average carAge 19: -1.7 points vs the average car19Age 20: -5.4 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+2.7
4+2.9
5+2.9
6+3.3
7+1.3
8-0.8
9-1.1
10-1.0
11-0.3
12+0.1
13-3.0
14-2.3
15-0.9
16+0.4
17-3.7
18-4.8
19-1.7
20-5.4

The 6 fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the 6 fleet still in use.

01k3k5k7kAge 3: 7183Age 4: 656Age 5: 1k5Age 6: 4kAge 7: 3k7Age 8: 4kAge 9: 6k9Age 10: 6kAge 11: 5k11Age 12: 3kAge 13: 2k13Age 14: 3kAge 15: 4k15Age 16: 3kAge 17: 2k17Age 18: 1kAge 19: 96619Age 20: 56320Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
3718
4656
51,046
64,388
73,212
84,649
96,720
106,262
115,706
123,762
132,556
143,349
154,199
163,005
172,512
181,767
19966
20563

What a 6 fails on

Where the failure items land when a 6 fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Suspension23.8%
Brakes23.8%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment22.2%
Tyres10.2%
Visibility6.5%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.9%
Body, chassis, structure3.2%
Steering1.8%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (97.4% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a 6, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Suspension: 32.4% of advisories32.4%Brakes: 29.0% of advisories29.0%Tyres: 24.1% of advisories24.1%Body, chassis, structure: 3.8% of advisoriesNon-component advisories: 3.7% of advisoriesLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 2.0% of advisories
SuspensionBrakesTyresBody, chassis, structureNon-component advisoriesLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Suspension32.4%
Brakes29.0%
Tyres24.1%
Body, chassis, structure3.8%
Non-component advisories3.7%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment2.0%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid 6?

First-time pass rate for the two most-tested 6 fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Diesel: 68.4% of 29,213 tests68.4%Diesel29,213 testsPetrol: 70.1% of 27,257 tests70.1%Petrol27,257 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel29,21368.4%
Petrol27,25770.1%

What mileage is normal for a 6?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) 6; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical 6 (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k150k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 28,750 miles (middle half 18,750–41,250)Age 4: typical 31,250 miles (middle half 23,750–43,750)Age 5: typical 36,250 miles (middle half 26,250–48,750)Age 6: typical 48,750 miles (middle half 36,250–66,250)Age 7: typical 58,750 miles (middle half 43,750–81,250)Age 8: typical 71,250 miles (middle half 53,750–93,750)Age 9: typical 81,250 miles (middle half 61,250–103,750)Age 10: typical 91,250 miles (middle half 71,250–113,750)Age 11: typical 101,250 miles (middle half 78,750–121,250)Age 12: typical 106,250 miles (middle half 81,250–128,750)Age 13: typical 103,750 miles (middle half 83,750–128,750)Age 14: typical 113,750 miles (middle half 88,750–141,250)Age 15: typical 121,250 miles (middle half 93,750–146,250)Age 16: typical 121,250 miles (middle half 96,250–148,750)Age 17: typical 123,750 miles (middle half 98,750–148,750)Age 18: typical 106,250 miles (middle half 83,750–131,250)Age 19: typical 101,250 miles (middle half 76,250–123,750)Age 20: typical 93,750 miles (middle half 76,250–118,750)93k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
318,75028,75041,250
423,75031,25043,750
526,25036,25048,750
636,25048,75066,250
743,75058,75081,250
853,75071,25093,750
961,25081,250103,750
1071,25091,250113,750
1178,750101,250121,250
1281,250106,250128,750
1383,750103,750128,750
1488,750113,750141,250
1593,750121,250146,250
1696,250121,250148,750
1798,750123,750148,750
1883,750106,250131,250
1976,250101,250123,750
2076,25093,750118,750

What fails at each age

The 6's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresBrakesVisibilitySuspensionLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentNoise, emissions and leaksBody, chassis, structureEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres34.4%
3-5 yrsBrakes28.6%
3-5 yrsVisibility17.9%
3-5 yrsSuspension7.3%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment4.6%
3-5 yrsEverything else7.2%
6-9 yrsSuspension30.6%
6-9 yrsBrakes23.2%
6-9 yrsTyres19.5%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment7.8%
6-9 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks7.4%
6-9 yrsEverything else11.5%
10-13 yrsSuspension32.6%
10-13 yrsBrakes26.0%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment11.9%
10-13 yrsTyres11.7%
10-13 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks6.3%
10-13 yrsEverything else11.5%
14+ yrsBrakes26.7%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment25.2%
14+ yrsSuspension21.3%
14+ yrsTyres7.4%
14+ yrsBody, chassis, structure5.4%
14+ yrsEverything else14.0%

More vehicles we've checked

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.