1996 Mazda MX-5 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

66.7%

Latest Pass Rate

37,369

Total Tests (All Years)

94,867 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 1996 Mazda MX-5 as it ages.

13 yrs55.3%

→ ↓0.7%

14 yrs54.6%

→ ↓0.8%

15 yrs53.8%

→ ↑0.6%

16 yrs54.4%

→ ↓1.3%

17 yrs53.1%

→ ↑0.8%

18 yrs53.9%

→ ↑2.2%

19 yrs56.1%

→ ↑0.1%

20 yrs56.2%

→ ↑2.1%

21 yrs58.3%

→ ↑0.6%

22 yrs58.9%

→ ↑0.9%

23 yrs59.8%

→ ↑1.7%

24 yrs61.5%

→ ↑1.6%

25 yrs63.1%

→ ↑2.3%

26 yrs65.4%

→ ↓0.1%

27 yrs65.3%

→ ↑1.4%

28 yrs66.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	55.3%	3,881
14 yrs	54.6%	3,648
15 yrs	53.8%	3,563
16 yrs	54.4%	3,328
17 yrs	53.1%	3,089
18 yrs	53.9%	2,835
19 yrs	56.1%	2,620
20 yrs	56.2%	2,437
21 yrs	58.3%	2,185
22 yrs	58.9%	1,412
23 yrs	59.8%	1,412
24 yrs	61.5%	1,162
25 yrs	63.1%	1,307
26 yrs	65.4%	1,054
27 yrs	65.3%	1,170
28 yrs	66.7%	2,266

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Mazda MX-5 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (28 yrs)	66.7%	2,266
2023 (27 yrs)	65.3%	1,170
2022 (26 yrs)	65.4%	1,054
2021 (25 yrs)	63.1%	1,307
2020 (24 yrs)	61.5%	1,162
2019 (23 yrs)	59.8%	1,412
2018 (22 yrs)	58.9%	1,412
2017 (21 yrs)	58.3%	2,185
2016 (20 yrs)	56.2%	2,437
2015 (19 yrs)	56.1%	2,620
2014 (18 yrs)	53.9%	2,835
2013 (17 yrs)	53.1%	3,089
2012 (16 yrs)	54.4%	3,328
2011 (15 yrs)	53.8%	3,563
2010 (14 yrs)	54.6%	3,648
2009 (13 yrs)	55.3%	3,881

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

55.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 3,881Avg Mileage 83,599Top Failure Brakes — 24.5%

2010High Fail Rate

54.6%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 3,648Avg Mileage 87,866Top Failure Brakes — 24.6%

2011High Fail Rate

53.8%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 3,563Avg Mileage 90,722Top Failure Brakes — 25.9%

2012High Fail Rate

54.4%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 3,328Avg Mileage 92,613Top Failure Brakes — 25.6%

2013High Fail Rate

53.1%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 3,089Avg Mileage 94,395Top Failure Brakes — 62.1%

2014High Fail Rate

53.9%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 2,835Avg Mileage 95,651Top Failure Brakes — 62.6%

2015High Fail Rate

56.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 2,620Avg Mileage 96,837Top Failure Brakes — 56.4%

2016High Fail Rate

56.2%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 2,437Avg Mileage 97,789Top Failure Brakes — 55.2%

2017High Fail Rate

58.3%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,185Avg Mileage 99,028Top Failure Brakes — 57.2%

2018High Fail Rate

58.9%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,412Avg Mileage 98,727Top Failure Brakes — 51.3%

2019High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,412Avg Mileage 99,038Top Failure Brakes — 51.0%

2020High Fail Rate

61.5%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,162Avg Mileage 100,810Top Failure Brakes — 56.8%

2021High Fail Rate

63.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,307Avg Mileage 94,827Top Failure Suspension — 55.7%

2022

65.4%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,054Avg Mileage 93,260Top Failure Suspension — 54.2%

2023

65.3%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,170Avg Mileage 93,539Top Failure Suspension — 53.9%

2024

66.7%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 2,266Avg Mileage 94,867Top Failure Suspension — 42.2%

MOT results for 1996 Mazda MX-5 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	55.3%	3,881	83,599	Brakes — 24.5%
2010	14	54.6%	3,648	87,866	Brakes — 24.6%
2011	15	53.8%	3,563	90,722	Brakes — 25.9%
2012	16	54.4%	3,328	92,613	Brakes — 25.6%
2013	17	53.1%	3,089	94,395	Brakes — 62.1%
2014	18	53.9%	2,835	95,651	Brakes — 62.6%
2015	19	56.1%	2,620	96,837	Brakes — 56.4%
2016	20	56.2%	2,437	97,789	Brakes — 55.2%
2017	21	58.3%	2,185	99,028	Brakes — 57.2%
2018	22	58.9%	1,412	98,727	Brakes — 51.3%
2019	23	59.8%	1,412	99,038	Brakes — 51.0%
2020	24	61.5%	1,162	100,810	Brakes — 56.8%
2021	25	63.1%	1,307	94,827	Suspension — 55.7%
2022	26	65.4%	1,054	93,260	Suspension — 54.2%
2023	27	65.3%	1,170	93,539	Suspension — 53.9%
2024	28	66.7%	2,266	94,867	Suspension — 42.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Mazda MX-5, with age trends.

Brakes

46.5%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

42.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

24.7%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

22.4%

— Consistent

Noise, emissions and leaks

21.5%

— 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% (13 yrs)	42.2% (28 yrs)	+24.5%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	24.5% (13 yrs)	37.2% (28 yrs)	+12.7%	🔴 ↑

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 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 37,369 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.