1990 Mazda MX-5 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1990 perform at MOT as they age

36 years

Current Age

70.5%

Latest Pass Rate

38,073

Total Tests (All Years)

106,784 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 1990 Mazda MX-5 as it ages.

19 yrs52.5%

→ ↓0.4%

20 yrs52.1%

→ ↓0.1%

21 yrs52.0%

→ ↓1.6%

22 yrs50.4%

→ ↑0.2%

23 yrs50.6%

→ ↑3.2%

24 yrs53.8%

→ ↑2.5%

25 yrs56.3%

→ ↑1.7%

26 yrs58.0%

→ ↑1.5%

27 yrs59.5%

→ ↑1.8%

28 yrs61.3%

→ ↑3.7%

29 yrs65.0%

→ ↓1.8%

30 yrs63.2%

→ ↑4.8%

31 yrs68.0%

→ ↓0.8%

32 yrs67.2%

→ ↑2.1%

33 yrs69.3%

→ ↑1.2%

34 yrs70.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
19 yrs	52.5%	4,731
20 yrs	52.1%	4,303
21 yrs	52.0%	4,098
22 yrs	50.4%	3,747
23 yrs	50.6%	3,411
24 yrs	53.8%	3,105
25 yrs	56.3%	2,875
26 yrs	58.0%	2,619
27 yrs	59.5%	2,360
28 yrs	61.3%	1,532
29 yrs	65.0%	1,508
30 yrs	63.2%	1,250
31 yrs	68.0%	563
32 yrs	67.2%	469
33 yrs	69.3%	518
34 yrs	70.5%	984

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1990 Mazda MX-5 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (34 yrs)	70.5%	984
2023 (33 yrs)	69.3%	518
2022 (32 yrs)	67.2%	469
2021 (31 yrs)	68%	563
2020 (30 yrs)	63.2%	1,250
2019 (29 yrs)	65%	1,508
2018 (28 yrs)	61.3%	1,532
2017 (27 yrs)	59.5%	2,360
2016 (26 yrs)	58%	2,619
2015 (25 yrs)	56.3%	2,875
2014 (24 yrs)	53.8%	3,105
2013 (23 yrs)	50.6%	3,411
2012 (22 yrs)	50.4%	3,747
2011 (21 yrs)	52%	4,098
2010 (20 yrs)	52.1%	4,303
2009 (19 yrs)	52.5%	4,731

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.5%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,731Avg Mileage 122,753Top Failure Brakes — 29.1%

2010High Fail Rate

52.1%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 4,303Avg Mileage 126,915Top Failure Brakes — 28.9%

2011High Fail Rate

52.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 4,098Avg Mileage 128,563Top Failure Brakes — 28.8%

2012High Fail Rate

50.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 3,747Avg Mileage 130,845Top Failure Brakes — 29.4%

2013High Fail Rate

50.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 3,411Avg Mileage 133,300Top Failure Suspension — 74.6%

2014High Fail Rate

53.8%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 3,105Avg Mileage 133,862Top Failure Brakes — 67.1%

2015High Fail Rate

56.3%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 2,875Avg Mileage 134,649Top Failure Brakes — 62.2%

2016High Fail Rate

58.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 2,619Avg Mileage 135,700Top Failure Brakes — 53.1%

2017High Fail Rate

59.5%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 2,360Avg Mileage 137,085Top Failure Brakes — 54.2%

2018High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,532Avg Mileage 137,628Top Failure Suspension — 54.3%

2019

65.0%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 1,508Avg Mileage 136,882Top Failure Brakes — 46.0%

2020High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 1,250Avg Mileage 140,339Top Failure Brakes — 53.8%

2021

68.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 563Avg Mileage 113,850Top Failure Brakes — 42.8%

2022

67.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 469Avg Mileage 107,808Top Failure Suspension — 54.6%

2023

69.3%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 518Avg Mileage 108,138Top Failure Suspension — 42.5%

2024

70.5%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 984Avg Mileage 106,784Top Failure Suspension — 40.4%

MOT results for 1990 Mazda MX-5 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	19	52.5%	4,731	122,753	Brakes — 29.1%
2010	20	52.1%	4,303	126,915	Brakes — 28.9%
2011	21	52.0%	4,098	128,563	Brakes — 28.8%
2012	22	50.4%	3,747	130,845	Brakes — 29.4%
2013	23	50.6%	3,411	133,300	Suspension — 74.6%
2014	24	53.8%	3,105	133,862	Brakes — 67.1%
2015	25	56.3%	2,875	134,649	Brakes — 62.2%
2016	26	58.0%	2,619	135,700	Brakes — 53.1%
2017	27	59.5%	2,360	137,085	Brakes — 54.2%
2018	28	61.3%	1,532	137,628	Suspension — 54.3%
2019	29	65.0%	1,508	136,882	Brakes — 46.0%
2020	30	63.2%	1,250	140,339	Brakes — 53.8%
2021	31	68.0%	563	113,850	Brakes — 42.8%
2022	32	67.2%	469	107,808	Suspension — 54.6%
2023	33	69.3%	518	108,138	Suspension — 42.5%
2024	34	70.5%	984	106,784	Suspension — 40.4%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1990 Mazda MX-5, with age trends.

Brakes

45.5%

— Consistent

Suspension

44.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

34.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

27.8%

— Consistent

Steering

16.5%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	17.7% (19 yrs)	40.4% (34 yrs)	+22.7%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	29.1% (19 yrs)	27.0% (34 yrs)	-2.1%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mazda MX-5 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mazda MX-5 cars manufactured in 1990 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 38,073 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.