Mazda 323 2002: MOT failure rate for its age

48.2% of 2,434 MOT tests of the Mazda 323 first registered in 2002 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 95.2 (95% CI 89.8–100.6; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2002 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age. This is a rough estimate from a smaller sample.

Mazda 323 built in 2002 at a glance
Measure	Value	Unit	Compared with	Years	Tests
Failed first time	48.2	%	all ages tested	2019–2024	2434
Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 89.8–100.6)	95.2	index	100 = normal for this model at that age	2019–2024	2434
Rank among this model's 5 build years	3	of 5	1 = fails least for its age	2019–2024	2434
Tested in 2024	179	tests	median 71,860 miles	2024	179

Built 2002 against Mazda 323 normal for the age: first-time MOT failure share at each age, age 17: 47.5% vs 52.4%; age 18: 48.9% vs 50.3%; age 19: 50.2% vs 50.9%; age 20: 49.8% vs 48.1%; age 21: 43% vs 47.7%; age 22: 48% vs n/a%. Axis from 0% to 60%. DVSA MOT bulk data, 2019–2024.

Check a 2002 Mazda 323 by registration · All Mazda 323 MOT statistics · Download the build-year table (CSV)

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).

How does the 2002 Mazda 323 fail at each age?

Cars built in 2002 were tested at ages 17 to 22 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.

Mazda 323 built 2002: first-time MOT failure by age, against the model's normal rate at that age (2019–2024)
Age	Tests	Failed, %	95% interval	Normal for this model at that age, %	Index (100 = normal)
17	855	47.5	44.2–50.8	52.4	90.6
18	591	48.9	44.9–52.9	50.3	97.2
19	436 (rough estimate)	50.2	45.6–54.9	50.9	98.8
20	315 (rough estimate)	49.8	44.4–55.3	48.1	103.6
21	237 (rough estimate)	43	36.9–49.4	47.7	90.2
22	179 (rough estimate)	48	40.8–55.3	not available	not available

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,613 (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 2002 Mazda 323?

The most common failure group on cars built in 2002 is suspension: 74.1 items per 100 first tests, against 57.6 across all build years of the Mazda 323. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2002 were tested at ages 17 to 22.

Failure items per 100 first tests, Mazda 323 built 2002 against the Mazda 323 in all build years (2019–2024, not age-adjusted)
Failure group	Built 2002, per 100	All build years, per 100	Items
Suspension	74.1	57.6	1,935
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	29.3	28.6	765
Brakes	29.2	27.1	764
Body, chassis, structure	15.7	21.3	409
Visibility	14.4	13.6	377

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,613 (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 2002 compare with the years around it?

Among the 5 published build years of the Mazda 323, 2002 ranks 3 (1 = fails least for its age). 2001: index 96.1. 2003: index 96.8.

Mazda 323 build years: index against the model at the same age (2019–2024)
Build year	Index (100 = normal)	95% interval	Verdict	Tests
1999	95.2	87.2–103.3	no different (rough estimate)	1,072
2000	93.2	86.2–100.3	no different (rough estimate)	1,383
2001	96.1	89.3–102.9	no different (rough estimate)	1,545
2002	95.2	89.8–100.6	no different (rough estimate)	2,434
2003	96.8	91.9–101.7	no different (rough estimate)	2,994

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 9,428 (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 323 2002 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-323/2002/

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.

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