Mazda 3 2012: MOT failure rate for its age
27.7% of 31,112 MOT tests of the Mazda 3 first registered in 2012 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 90.4 (95% CI 88.5–92.3; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2012 Mazda 3 fails less often than other build years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 27.7 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 31112 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 88.5–92.3) | 90.4 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 31112 |
| Rank among this model's 17 build years | 5 | of 17 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 31112 |
| Tested in 2024 | 4901 | tests | median 87,241 miles | 2024 | 4901 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2012 Mazda 3 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 5,444 | 21.5 | 20.4–22.6 | 24.5 | 87.5 |
| 8 | 5,227 | 23.5 | 22.4–24.7 | 25.2 | 93.4 |
| 9 | 5,229 | 25.7 | 24.5–26.9 | 28 | 91.8 |
| 10 | 5,195 | 29.4 | 28.1–30.6 | 31.5 | 93.3 |
| 11 | 5,116 | 32.4 | 31.2–33.7 | 36.1 | 89.8 |
| 12 | 4,901 | 34.4 | 33.1–35.7 | 39.3 | 87.4 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 31,112 (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 2012 Mazda 3?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2012 is suspension: 14.1 items per 100 first tests, against 22.3 across all build years of the Mazda 3. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12.
| Failure group | Built 2012, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 14.1 | 22.3 | 4,375 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.9 | 18.5 | 4,021 |
| Tyres | 10.7 | 9.2 | 3,329 |
| Visibility | 7.7 | 7.6 | 2,395 |
| Brakes | 6.9 | 10.6 | 2,135 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 31,112 (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 2012 compare with the years around it?
Among the 17 published build years of the Mazda 3, 2012 ranks 5 (1 = fails least for its age). 2011: index 101.6. 2013: index 83.5.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 103.6 | 100.9–106.3 | worse | 10,607 |
| 2005 | 102.6 | 101.0–104.3 | worse | 29,712 |
| 2006 | 101.5 | 100.0–103.0 | no different | 37,116 |
| 2007 | 100.1 | 98.7–101.5 | no different | 43,824 |
| 2008 | 106.3 | 104.9–107.8 | worse | 47,081 |
| 2009 | 100.9 | 99.5–102.2 | no different | 52,997 |
| 2010 | 98.4 | 97.1–99.8 | better | 55,053 |
| 2011 | 101.6 | 99.7–103.4 | no different | 34,764 |
| 2012 | 90.4 | 88.5–92.3 | better | 31,112 |
| 2013 | 83.5 | 81.5–85.4 | better | 31,576 |
| 2014 | 97.5 | 95.7–99.2 | better | 51,397 |
| 2015 | 100.2 | 98.6–101.8 | no different | 71,675 |
| 2016 | 112.6 | 110.7–114.5 | worse | 64,354 |
| 2017 | 107.3 | 104.9–109.7 | worse | 42,851 |
| 2018 | 88.0 | 85.2–90.8 | better | 28,383 |
| 2019 | 71.0 | 67.1–74.9 | better | 13,296 |
| 2020 | 87.3 | 81.6–93.1 | better | 8,600 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 654,398 (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 3 2012 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-3/2012/
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 3 2004 · Mazda 3 2005 · Mazda 3 2006 · Mazda 3 2007 · Mazda 3 2008 · Mazda 3 2009 · Mazda 3 2010 · Mazda 3 2011 · Mazda 3 2013 · Mazda 3 2014 · Mazda 3 2015 · Mazda 3 2016 · Mazda 3 2017 · Mazda 3 2018 · Mazda 3 2019 · Mazda 3 2020 · Mazda 3 in Norway · Mazda 3 in Finland · Mazda 3 in the Netherlands · Mazda 3 by postcode area · Mazda 3 body, chassis and structure failures · Mazda 3 brakes failures · Mazda 3 vehicle identification failures · Mazda 3 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mazda 3 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mazda 3 road wheels failures · Mazda 3 seat belts and airbags failures · Mazda 3 steering failures · Mazda 3 suspension failures · Mazda 3 tyres failures · Mazda 3 visibility failures