Car statistics by year

2006 Mazda 3

Mazda 3 cars first registered in 2006: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2006, so like is set against like.

A year of the Mazda 3. “2006” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
2,902 MOT tests of 2006 Mazda 3 cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 51.0% All 2006 cars 56.9%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 105,100 miles; all 2006 cars 104,500
  • Left at the end of 2025 3,208 25.9% of the 12,363 at the end of 2014
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 12.5% All 2006 cars 10.4%
  • Tests with an advisory 77.2% All 2006 cars 70.8%
  • MOT tests in 2025 2,902 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2006 Mazda 3s do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 19 years old, 51.0% of 2006 Mazda 3 MOT tests were passed first time, against 56.9% for all cars first registered in 2006. 2006 Mazda 3s did worse than average for their age, by 5.9 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 50.1% of the time (all 2006 cars 56.1%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Mazda 3 vs all cars

Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Mazda 3 bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Mazda 3 compared with all cars
First registered Mazda 3All cars
’04 52.5%57.9%
’05 48.0%57.7%
’06 51.0%56.9%
’07 51.9%57.3%
’08 50.7%57.0%
’09 56.4%58.2%
’10 57.8%59.3%
’11 56.4%61.5%
’12 63.2%63.6%
’13 68.3%66.0%
’14 70.3%69.1%
’15 70.1%72.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2006 Mazda 3

Position lamp: not working was the most common single reason a 2006 Mazda 3 failed, on 23.5% of about 1,400 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (57.8% of failed tests; all 2006 cars 50.1%). 12.5% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 10.4% for all cars first registered in 2006. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Most common reasons for failure

Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 2006 Mazda 3 tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 23.5%
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks 16.2%
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 13.8%
Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension 11.0%
Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension 10.8%
Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 9.6%
Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 9.2%
Component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Suspension 8.6%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 8.3%
Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes 7.1%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Mazda 3 vs all 2006 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 2006 Mazda 3 MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2006 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 57.8%
Suspension 46.7%
Brakes 20.3%
Noise, emissions and leaks 19.4%
Tyres 17.6%
Body, chassis, structure 15.6%
Visibility 12.4%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 7.7%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2006 Mazda 3

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 77.2% of 2006 Mazda 3 tests had at least one (all 2006 cars 70.8%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2006 Mazda 3 tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 23.7%
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension 21.4%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 13.3%
Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension 13.0%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 12.0%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 11.1%
Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension 11.0%
Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks 10.7%
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle 9.0%
Component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Suspension 8.2%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2006 Mazda 3?

Half of the 2006 Mazda 3s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 105,100 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 80,600 and a quarter more than 128,500. For all cars first registered in 2006, the middle figure was 104,500 miles, so 2006 Mazda 3s have been driven about as far as average.

Mileage at the 2025 MOT

Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 2006 Mazda 3 and all 2006 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2006 Mazda 3 60,900 80,600 105,100 128,500 152,600 2,784
All 2006 cars 54,400 76,800 104,500 135,500 166,700 552,869
miles

Half of the 2006 Mazda 3s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 105,100 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2006 Mazda 3s are left?

At the end of 2014, 12,363 2006 Mazda 3s were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 3,208 were: 2,459 licensed and 749 declared off the road (SORN). That is 25.9% still on the record, against 35.5% for all cars first registered in 2006.

Share still on the record since 2014

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2006 Mazda 3s on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2014, compared with all 2006 cars
Year end 2006 Mazda 3All 2006 cars
2014 100.0%100.0%
2015 97.5%97.2%
2016 94.6%94.3%
2017 89.5%89.1%
2018 81.8%82.4%
2019 72.9%74.9%
2020 64.0%67.8%
2021 53.5%59.7%
2022 45.5%53.1%
2023 38.4%47.0%
2024 31.7%40.8%
2025 25.9%35.5%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2006

3 of the Mazda 3’s 24 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2006.

The 2006 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2006 may have been built in 2005, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Mazda 3 recalls whose build dates include 2006
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
9 Feb 2009 Engine revs may increase inadvertently 26 Dec 2006 to 5 Nov 2008 15,854 (all models)
8 Apr 2008 Engine mounting may fail under sudden acceleration 26 Dec 2006 to 6 Sept 2007 3,965 (all models)
19 Jul 2007 Engine mounting bolt may fail 13 Jul 2006 to 16 May 2007 430

Every Mazda 3 recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls

Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated

Other years of the Mazda 3

19 years of the Mazda 3, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2019 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (87.5% passed first time) and the 2005 cars worst (48.0%).

Mazda 3s by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2004 971 52.5% 57.9%
2005 2,456 48.0% 57.7%
2006 3,208 51.0% 56.9%
2007 4,304 51.9% 57.3%
2008 5,264 50.7% 57.0%
2009 6,720 56.4% 58.2%
2010 7,595 57.8% 59.3%
2011 5,106 56.4% 61.5%
2012 4,747 63.2% 63.6%
2013 5,025 68.3% 66.0%
2014 9,070 8,191 70.3% 69.1%
2015 12,360 11,465 70.1% 72.6%
2016 10,948 10,410 73.0% 75.6%
2017 8,321 8,162 74.0% 79.1%
2018 7,149 7,020 82.7% 81.8%
2019 4,388 4,384 87.5% 84.4%
2020 4,258 4,213 87.2% 86.9%
2021 4,113 3,992 89.2% 88.4%
2022 2,525 2,414 92.0% 89.4%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 2,902 MOT tests of 2006 Mazda 3 cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 3,208 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Mazda 3 cars first registered in 2006; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2006.
  • Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
  • Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
  • Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
  • Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
  • DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.