Mazda 6 2002: MOT failure rate for its age
50.5% of 969 MOT tests of the Mazda 6 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 98.6 (95% CI 89.9–107.4; 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.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 50.5 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 969 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 89.9–107.4) | 98.6 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 969 |
| Rank among this model's 19 build years | 9 | of 19 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 969 |
| Tested in 2024 | 72 | tests | median 93,959 miles | 2024 | 72 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2002 Mazda 6 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.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 487 (rough estimate) | 51.1 | 46.7–55.5 | 52.7 | 97.1 |
| 18 | 280 (rough estimate) | 50.4 | 44.5–56.2 | 49.7 | 101.4 |
| 19 | 202 (rough estimate) | 49 | 42.2–55.9 | 49.6 | 98.7 |
| 20 | 141 (rough estimate) | 48.2 | 40.1–56.4 | not available | not available |
| 21 | 103 (rough estimate) | 49.5 | 40.1–59 | not available | not available |
| 22 | 72 (rough estimate) | 54.2 | 42.7–65.2 | not available | not available |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,285 (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 6?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2002 is suspension: 68.5 items per 100 first tests, against 19.5 across all build years of the Mazda 6. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2002 were tested at ages 17 to 22.
| Failure group | Built 2002, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 68.5 | 19.5 | 880 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 42.6 | 19.1 | 548 |
| Brakes | 28 | 19.5 | 360 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 20.1 | 3.5 | 258 |
| Visibility | 14.2 | 8 | 182 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,285 (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 19 published build years of the Mazda 6, 2002 ranks 9 (1 = fails least for its age). 2003: index 103.1.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 98.6 | 89.9–107.4 | no different (rough estimate) | 969 |
| 2003 | 103.1 | 98.1–108.2 | no different (rough estimate) | 3,083 |
| 2004 | 106.9 | 103.2–110.6 | worse | 5,975 |
| 2005 | 107.0 | 104.3–109.6 | worse | 12,306 |
| 2006 | 100.2 | 98.0–102.4 | no different | 17,182 |
| 2007 | 102.4 | 100.5–104.2 | worse | 26,601 |
| 2008 | 103.9 | 102.2–105.6 | worse | 33,209 |
| 2009 | 94.6 | 93.0–96.2 | better | 34,372 |
| 2010 | 98.4 | 96.8–100.0 | no different | 40,357 |
| 2011 | 105.7 | 103.6–107.7 | worse | 29,849 |
| 2012 | 104.7 | 102.1–107.3 | worse | 19,855 |
| 2013 | 90.3 | 88.1–92.4 | better | 27,923 |
| 2014 | 95.2 | 93.2–97.1 | better | 40,446 |
| 2015 | 99.4 | 97.3–101.6 | no different | 42,116 |
| 2016 | 102.6 | 100.3–105.0 | worse | 42,697 |
| 2017 | 97.2 | 94.0–100.4 | no different | 24,851 |
| 2018 | 92.9 | 88.5–97.4 | better | 13,152 |
| 2019 | 85.2 | 80.8–89.6 | better | 13,531 |
| 2020 | 85.0 | 72.9–97.2 | better (rough estimate) | 2,105 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 430,579 (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 6 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-6/2002/
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.
Other pages for this model
Mazda 6 2003 · Mazda 6 2004 · Mazda 6 2005 · Mazda 6 2006 · Mazda 6 2007 · Mazda 6 2008 · Mazda 6 2009 · Mazda 6 2010 · Mazda 6 2011 · Mazda 6 2012 · Mazda 6 2013 · Mazda 6 2014 · Mazda 6 2015 · Mazda 6 2016 · Mazda 6 2017 · Mazda 6 2018 · Mazda 6 2019 · Mazda 6 2020 · Mazda 6 in Norway · Mazda 6 in Finland · Mazda 6 in the Netherlands · Mazda 6 by postcode area · Mazda 6 body, chassis and structure failures · Mazda 6 brakes failures · Mazda 6 vehicle identification failures · Mazda 6 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mazda 6 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mazda 6 road wheels failures · Mazda 6 seat belts and airbags failures · Mazda 6 steering failures · Mazda 6 suspension failures · Mazda 6 tyres failures · Mazda 6 visibility failures