Mazda 2 2003: MOT failure rate for its age
41.8% of 3,617 MOT tests of the Mazda 2 first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 94.7 (95% CI 90.0–99.5; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2003 Mazda 2 fails less often than other build years of the same model at the same age. This is a rough estimate from a smaller sample.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 41.8 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 3617 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 90.0–99.5) | 94.7 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 3617 |
| Rank among this model's 18 build years | 7 | of 18 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 3617 |
| Tested in 2024 | 373 | tests | median 83,923 miles | 2024 | 373 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2003 Mazda 2 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 1,058 | 40.2 | 37.3–43.2 | 48.3 | 83.1 |
| 17 | 813 | 41.3 | 38–44.7 | 43.2 | 95.6 |
| 18 | 699 | 44.5 | 40.8–48.2 | 42.3 | 105.3 |
| 19 | 581 | 42.3 | 38.4–46.4 | 41.8 | 101.3 |
| 20 | 466 (rough estimate) | 41.6 | 37.2–46.2 | 41.8 | 99.6 |
| 21 | 373 (rough estimate) | 41.6 | 36.7–46.6 | not available | not available |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 3,990 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2003 Mazda 2?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 33.9 items per 100 first tests, against 15.8 across all build years of the Mazda 2. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.
| Failure group | Built 2003, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 33.9 | 15.8 | 1,353 |
| Brakes | 27.4 | 7.9 | 1,092 |
| Suspension | 23 | 17.5 | 917 |
| Visibility | 14 | 9 | 558 |
| Tyres | 10 | 8.4 | 398 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 3,990 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2003 compare with the years around it?
Among the 18 published build years of the Mazda 2, 2003 ranks 7 (1 = fails least for its age). 2004: index 96.6.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 94.7 | 90.0–99.5 | better (rough estimate) | 3,617 |
| 2004 | 96.6 | 93.6–99.7 | better | 8,814 |
| 2005 | 96.0 | 93.1–98.8 | better | 10,194 |
| 2006 | 92.3 | 89.6–95.0 | better | 11,287 |
| 2007 | 93.0 | 91.0–95.1 | better | 20,552 |
| 2008 | 106.3 | 105.0–107.6 | worse | 55,739 |
| 2009 | 103.1 | 102.0–104.2 | worse | 81,240 |
| 2010 | 104.5 | 103.3–105.6 | worse | 79,098 |
| 2011 | 103.0 | 101.7–104.3 | worse | 65,941 |
| 2012 | 100.9 | 99.4–102.4 | no different | 54,479 |
| 2013 | 102.8 | 101.2–104.5 | worse | 52,160 |
| 2014 | 96.0 | 94.3–97.8 | better | 51,132 |
| 2015 | 100.6 | 98.8–102.4 | no different | 60,156 |
| 2016 | 103.2 | 101.2–105.1 | worse | 61,095 |
| 2017 | 82.9 | 80.5–85.2 | better | 39,956 |
| 2018 | 80.8 | 78.1–83.5 | better | 32,651 |
| 2019 | 77.3 | 74.1–80.4 | better | 25,533 |
| 2020 | 84.7 | 78.5–91.0 | better | 8,297 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 721,941 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Mazda 2 2003 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/mazda-2/2003/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Mazda 2 2004 · Mazda 2 2005 · Mazda 2 2006 · Mazda 2 2007 · Mazda 2 2008 · Mazda 2 2009 · Mazda 2 2010 · Mazda 2 2011 · Mazda 2 2012 · Mazda 2 2013 · Mazda 2 2014 · Mazda 2 2015 · Mazda 2 2016 · Mazda 2 2017 · Mazda 2 2018 · Mazda 2 2019 · Mazda 2 2020 · Mazda 2 in Norway · Mazda 2 in Finland · Mazda 2 in the Netherlands · Mazda 2 by postcode area · Mazda 2 body, chassis and structure failures · Mazda 2 brakes failures · Mazda 2 vehicle identification failures · Mazda 2 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mazda 2 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mazda 2 road wheels failures · Mazda 2 seat belts and airbags failures · Mazda 2 steering failures · Mazda 2 suspension failures · Mazda 2 tyres failures · Mazda 2 visibility failures