Car statistics by year
2018 Mazda MX-5
Mazda MX-5 cars first registered in 2018: 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 2018, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 89.2% All 2018 cars 81.8%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 27,900 miles; all 2018 cars 50,000
- Left at the end of 2025 4,127 97.5% of the 4,234 at the end of 2018
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 3.7% All 2018 cars 5.8%
- Tests with an advisory 37.7% All 2018 cars 43.2%
- MOT tests in 2025 4,251 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2018 Mazda MX-5s do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 7 years old, 89.2% of 2018 Mazda MX-5 MOT tests were passed first time, against 81.8% for all cars first registered in 2018. 2018 Mazda MX-5s did better than average for their age, by 7.4 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 90.1% of the time (all 2018 cars 83.4%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Mazda MX-5 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 MX-5 bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | Mazda MX-5 | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’11 | 76.1% | 61.5% |
| ’12 | 79.6% | 63.6% |
| ’13 | 79.3% | 66.0% |
| ’14 | 80.4% | 69.1% |
| ’15 | 85.3% | 72.6% |
| ’16 | 86.1% | 75.6% |
| ’17 | 89.1% | 79.1% |
| ’18 | 89.2% | 81.8% |
| ’19 | 91.4% | 84.4% |
| ’20 | 91.8% | 86.9% |
| ’21 | 94.6% | 88.4% |
| ’22 | 94.0% | 89.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2018 Mazda MX-5
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick was the most common single reason a 2018 Mazda MX-5 failed, on 17.0% of about 500 failed tests. By area of the car, brakes failed most often (27.8% of failed tests; all 2018 cars 18.7%). 3.7% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 5.8% for all cars first registered in 2018. 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.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 17.0% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 14.8% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 11.1% |
| Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9.6% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 6.5% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 6.1% |
| Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn Brakes | 4.8% |
| Service brake performance: excessively binding Brakes | 4.3% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3.9% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 3.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Mazda MX-5 vs all 2018 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Brakes | 27.8% |
| Visibility | 27.2% |
| Tyres | 24.1% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 21.3% |
| Suspension | 8.9% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.0% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 2.4% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 1.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2018 Mazda MX-5
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 37.7% of 2018 Mazda MX-5 tests had at least one (all 2018 cars 43.2%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 12.6% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 10.3% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 9.1% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 8.3% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 4.0% |
| Other suspension component: pin or bush slightly worn Suspension | 2.2% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 1.6% |
| Road wheels: slightly distorted Road wheels | 1.3% |
| Service brake performance: binding but not excessively Brakes | 1.2% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 1.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2018 Mazda MX-5?
Half of the 2018 Mazda MX-5s tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 27,900 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 18,600 and a quarter more than 39,700. For all cars first registered in 2018, the middle figure was 50,000 miles, so 2018 Mazda MX-5s have been driven 44.2% less far than 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%.
| 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Mazda MX-5 | 11,900 | 18,600 | 27,900 | 39,700 | 52,200 | 4,111 |
| All 2018 cars | 24,300 | 35,700 | 50,000 | 66,600 | 85,300 | 2,108,837 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2018 Mazda MX-5s are left?
At the end of 2018, 4,234 2018 Mazda MX-5s were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 4,127 were: 4,005 licensed and 122 declared off the road (SORN). That is 97.5% still on the record, against 96.1% for all cars first registered in 2018.
Share still on the record since 2018
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2018. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2018 Mazda MX-5 | All 2018 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2019 | 99.5% | 99.9% |
| 2020 | 96.9% | 98.2% |
| 2021 | 94.4% | 95.9% |
| 2022 | 98.1% | 97.2% |
| 2023 | 97.9% | 97.0% |
| 2024 | 97.9% | 96.7% |
| 2025 | 97.5% | 96.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2018
3 of the Mazda MX-5’s 9 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2018. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2018 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2018 may have been built in 2017, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Nov 2025 | Fuel Pipe Concern | 14 May 2015 to 28 Apr 2018 | 6,013 |
| 4 Jan 2022 | Low pressure fuel pump impeller might become deformed | 5 Apr 2018 to 30 Oct 2018 | 26,974 (all models) |
| 25 Feb 2019 | Models fitted with automatic transmission may unexpectedly downshift | 5 Oct 2016 to 22 Nov 2018 | 697 |
Every Mazda MX-5 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 MX-5
32 years of the Mazda MX-5, 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 2012 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (79.6% passed first time) and the 1991 cars worst (64.7%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | – | 911 | 68.8% |
| 1991 | – | 860 | 64.7% |
| 1992 | – | 492 | 63.2% |
| 1993 | – | 466 | 66.9% |
| 1995 | – | 1,270 | 67.0% |
| 1996 | – | 2,090 | 66.3% |
| 1997 | – | 2,861 | 68.0% |
| 1998 | – | 3,048 | 68.1% |
| 1999 | – | 3,306 | 65.5% |
| 2000 | – | 3,162 | 63.3% |
| 2001 | – | 2,359 | 67.1% |
| 2002 | – | 3,902 | 65.6% |
| 2003 | – | 4,988 | 63.3% |
| 2004 | – | 3,661 | 64.7% |
| 2005 | – | 3,527 | 66.1% |
| 2006 | – | 6,558 | 67.0% |
| 2007 | – | 7,693 | 69.7% |
| 2008 | – | 5,356 | 68.8% |
| 2009 | – | 4,216 | 71.4% |
| 2010 | – | 4,693 | 73.2% |
| 2011 | – | 3,424 | 76.1% |
| 2012 | – | 3,115 | 79.6% |
| 2013 | – | 3,106 | 79.3% |
| 2014 | 2,903 | 2,835 | 80.4% |
| 2015 | 2,973 | 2,921 | 85.3% |
| 2016 | 4,146 | 4,007 | 86.1% |
| 2017 | 4,539 | 4,483 | 89.1% |
| 2018 | 4,234 | 4,127 | 89.2% |
| 2019 | 4,027 | 3,956 | 91.4% |
| 2020 | 1,061 | 1,053 | 91.8% |
| 2021 | 1,434 | 1,408 | 94.6% |
| 2022 | 1,350 | 1,296 | 94.0% |
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
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 4,251 MOT tests of 2018 Mazda MX-5 cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 4,127 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Mazda MX-5 cars first registered in 2018; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2018.
- 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.