1991 Mazda MX-5 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1991 perform at MOT as they age

35 years

Current Age

69.0%

Latest Pass Rate

42,271

Total Tests (All Years)

110,558 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 1991 Mazda MX-5 as it ages.

18 yrs51.8%

→ ↑1.6%

19 yrs53.4%

→ ↑2.0%

20 yrs55.4%

→ ↓3.6%

21 yrs51.8%

→ ↑1.0%

22 yrs52.8%

→ ↑1.5%

23 yrs54.3%

→ ↑1.5%

24 yrs55.8%

→ ↑1.4%

25 yrs57.2%

→ ↑2.6%

26 yrs59.8%

→ ↑1.2%

27 yrs61.0%

→ ↑3.5%

28 yrs64.5%

→ ↓0.0%

29 yrs64.5%

→ ↓0.4%

30 yrs64.1%

→ ↑0.2%

31 yrs64.3%

→ ↑3.9%

32 yrs68.2%

→ ↑0.8%

33 yrs69.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
18 yrs	51.8%	5,081
19 yrs	53.4%	4,719
20 yrs	55.4%	4,442
21 yrs	51.8%	4,051
22 yrs	52.8%	3,731
23 yrs	54.3%	3,455
24 yrs	55.8%	3,193
25 yrs	57.2%	2,931
26 yrs	59.8%	2,656
27 yrs	61.0%	1,805
28 yrs	64.5%	1,734
29 yrs	64.5%	1,506
30 yrs	64.1%	647
31 yrs	64.3%	529
32 yrs	68.2%	606
33 yrs	69.0%	1,185

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1991 Mazda MX-5 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (33 yrs)	69%	1,185
2023 (32 yrs)	68.2%	606
2022 (31 yrs)	64.3%	529
2021 (30 yrs)	64.1%	647
2020 (29 yrs)	64.5%	1,506
2019 (28 yrs)	64.5%	1,734
2018 (27 yrs)	61%	1,805
2017 (26 yrs)	59.8%	2,656
2016 (25 yrs)	57.2%	2,931
2015 (24 yrs)	55.8%	3,193
2014 (23 yrs)	54.3%	3,455
2013 (22 yrs)	52.8%	3,731
2012 (21 yrs)	51.8%	4,051
2011 (20 yrs)	55.4%	4,442
2010 (19 yrs)	53.4%	4,719
2009 (18 yrs)	51.8%	5,081

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

51.8%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 5,081Avg Mileage 119,480Top Failure Brakes — 29.1%

2010High Fail Rate

53.4%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,719Avg Mileage 122,959Top Failure Brakes — 27.9%

2011High Fail Rate

55.4%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 4,442Avg Mileage 125,058Top Failure Brakes — 25.9%

2012High Fail Rate

51.8%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 4,051Avg Mileage 127,798Top Failure Brakes — 27.6%

2013High Fail Rate

52.8%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 3,731Avg Mileage 129,175Top Failure Brakes — 70.4%

2014High Fail Rate

54.3%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 3,455Avg Mileage 130,397Top Failure Brakes — 66.5%

2015High Fail Rate

55.8%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 3,193Avg Mileage 131,641Top Failure Brakes — 59.0%

2016High Fail Rate

57.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 2,931Avg Mileage 134,375Top Failure Brakes — 55.4%

2017High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 2,656Avg Mileage 135,862Top Failure Brakes — 53.7%

2018High Fail Rate

61.0%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,805Avg Mileage 136,378Top Failure Brakes — 55.3%

2019High Fail Rate

64.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,734Avg Mileage 135,925Top Failure Brakes — 45.7%

2020High Fail Rate

64.5%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 1,506Avg Mileage 137,567Top Failure Brakes — 47.9%

2021High Fail Rate

64.1%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 647Avg Mileage 111,302Top Failure Suspension — 54.4%

2022High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 529Avg Mileage 105,690Top Failure Suspension — 54.6%

2023

68.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 606Avg Mileage 106,063Top Failure Suspension — 47.5%

2024

69.0%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 1,185Avg Mileage 110,558Top Failure Suspension — 38.5%

MOT results for 1991 Mazda MX-5 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	18	51.8%	5,081	119,480	Brakes — 29.1%
2010	19	53.4%	4,719	122,959	Brakes — 27.9%
2011	20	55.4%	4,442	125,058	Brakes — 25.9%
2012	21	51.8%	4,051	127,798	Brakes — 27.6%
2013	22	52.8%	3,731	129,175	Brakes — 70.4%
2014	23	54.3%	3,455	130,397	Brakes — 66.5%
2015	24	55.8%	3,193	131,641	Brakes — 59.0%
2016	25	57.2%	2,931	134,375	Brakes — 55.4%
2017	26	59.8%	2,656	135,862	Brakes — 53.7%
2018	27	61.0%	1,805	136,378	Brakes — 55.3%
2019	28	64.5%	1,734	135,925	Brakes — 45.7%
2020	29	64.5%	1,506	137,567	Brakes — 47.9%
2021	30	64.1%	647	111,302	Suspension — 54.4%
2022	31	64.3%	529	105,690	Suspension — 54.6%
2023	32	68.2%	606	106,063	Suspension — 47.5%
2024	33	69.0%	1,185	110,558	Suspension — 38.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1991 Mazda MX-5, with age trends.

Brakes

46.0%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

41.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

33.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

30.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

17.8%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	15.8% (18 yrs)	38.5% (33 yrs)	+22.7%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	29.1% (18 yrs)	34.3% (33 yrs)	+5.2%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	10.6% (18 yrs)	8.4% (33 yrs)	-2.2%	🟢 ↓

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 1991 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 42,271 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.