1997 Mazda 323 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

66.5%

Latest Pass Rate

34,664

Total Tests (All Years)

88,783 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 Mazda 323 as it ages.

12 yrs45.5%

→ ↓3.5%

13 yrs42.0%

→ ↓1.6%

14 yrs40.4%

→ ↓0.4%

15 yrs40.0%

→ ↓0.9%

16 yrs39.1%

→ ↑1.4%

17 yrs40.5%

→ ↑2.0%

18 yrs42.5%

→ ↑0.4%

19 yrs42.9%

→ ↑4.2%

20 yrs47.1%

→ ↓1.9%

21 yrs45.2%

→ ↑6.6%

22 yrs51.8%

→ ↑1.4%

23 yrs53.2%

→ ↑2.4%

24 yrs55.6%

→ ↑0.2%

25 yrs55.8%

→ ↓4.8%

26 yrs51.0%

→ ↑15.5%

27 yrs66.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	45.5%	8,435
13 yrs	42.0%	7,084
14 yrs	40.4%	5,611
15 yrs	40.0%	4,082
16 yrs	39.1%	2,928
17 yrs	40.5%	1,970
18 yrs	42.5%	1,387
19 yrs	42.9%	997
20 yrs	47.1%	650
21 yrs	45.2%	330
22 yrs	51.8%	276
23 yrs	53.2%	205
24 yrs	55.6%	187
25 yrs	55.8%	129
26 yrs	51.0%	145
27 yrs	66.5%	248

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Mazda 323 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	66.5%	248
2023 (26 yrs)	51%	145
2022 (25 yrs)	55.8%	129
2021 (24 yrs)	55.6%	187
2020 (23 yrs)	53.2%	205
2019 (22 yrs)	51.8%	276
2018 (21 yrs)	45.2%	330
2017 (20 yrs)	47.1%	650
2016 (19 yrs)	42.9%	997
2015 (18 yrs)	42.5%	1,387
2014 (17 yrs)	40.5%	1,970
2013 (16 yrs)	39.1%	2,928
2012 (15 yrs)	40%	4,082
2011 (14 yrs)	40.4%	5,611
2010 (13 yrs)	42%	7,084
2009 (12 yrs)	45.5%	8,435

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

45.5%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 8,435Avg Mileage 94,753Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.6%

2010High Fail Rate

42.0%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 7,084Avg Mileage 99,296Top Failure Suspension — 35.5%

2011High Fail Rate

40.4%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 5,611Avg Mileage 101,561Top Failure Suspension — 39.2%

2012High Fail Rate

40.0%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 4,082Avg Mileage 101,920Top Failure Suspension — 41.8%

2013High Fail Rate

39.1%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 2,928Avg Mileage 102,682Top Failure Suspension — 117.3%

2014High Fail Rate

40.5%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 1,970Avg Mileage 101,083Top Failure Suspension — 115.9%

2015High Fail Rate

42.5%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 1,387Avg Mileage 99,938Top Failure Suspension — 113.3%

2016High Fail Rate

42.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 997Avg Mileage 101,874Top Failure Suspension — 110.7%

2017High Fail Rate

47.1%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 650Avg Mileage 99,839Top Failure Suspension — 108.5%

2018High Fail Rate

45.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 330Avg Mileage 98,177Top Failure Suspension — 94.2%

2019High Fail Rate

51.8%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 276Avg Mileage 94,440Top Failure Suspension — 76.4%

2020High Fail Rate

53.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 205Avg Mileage 89,278Top Failure Suspension — 95.6%

2021High Fail Rate

55.6%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 187Avg Mileage 90,607Top Failure Suspension — 99.5%

2022High Fail Rate

55.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 129Avg Mileage 90,036Top Failure Suspension — 98.4%

2023High Fail Rate

51.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 145Avg Mileage 89,951Top Failure Suspension — 113.8%

2024

66.5%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 248Avg Mileage 88,783Top Failure Suspension — 50.0%

MOT results for 1997 Mazda 323 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	45.5%	8,435	94,753	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.6%
2010	13	42.0%	7,084	99,296	Suspension — 35.5%
2011	14	40.4%	5,611	101,561	Suspension — 39.2%
2012	15	40.0%	4,082	101,920	Suspension — 41.8%
2013	16	39.1%	2,928	102,682	Suspension — 117.3%
2014	17	40.5%	1,970	101,083	Suspension — 115.9%
2015	18	42.5%	1,387	99,938	Suspension — 113.3%
2016	19	42.9%	997	101,874	Suspension — 110.7%
2017	20	47.1%	650	99,839	Suspension — 108.5%
2018	21	45.2%	330	98,177	Suspension — 94.2%
2019	22	51.8%	276	94,440	Suspension — 76.4%
2020	23	53.2%	205	89,278	Suspension — 95.6%
2021	24	55.6%	187	90,607	Suspension — 99.5%
2022	25	55.8%	129	90,036	Suspension — 98.4%
2023	26	51.0%	145	89,951	Suspension — 113.8%
2024	27	66.5%	248	88,783	Suspension — 50.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Mazda 323, with age trends.

Suspension

83.7%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

49.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

43.3%

— Consistent

Body, chassis, structure

36.0%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

35.9%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	29.5% (12 yrs)	50.0% (27 yrs)	+20.5%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	28.0% (12 yrs)	21.4% (27 yrs)	-6.6%	🟢 ↓
Tyres	18.1% (12 yrs)	16.1% (27 yrs)	-2.0%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mazda 323 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mazda 323 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 34,664 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.