Does the Mazda MX-5 fail the MOT on noise, emissions and leaks more than it should?
The Mazda MX-5 records 6.52 noise, emissions and leaks failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 6.26 expected for a car of the same age mix: about as expected for its class and age (the difference is within its interval or under 0.5 items per 100 tests) (+0.26, 95% interval +0.18 to +0.33). It ranks 217 of 678 models on noise, emissions and leaks (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on noise, emissions and leaks · check a Mazda MX-5 by registration
What exactly fails on noise, emissions and leaks?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mazda MX-5 is “Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer”, recorded 8,683 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer | 8,683 | 1.74 |
| Emissions levels exceed default limits | 8,574 | 1.72 |
| Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits | 5,404 | 1.08 |
| Emissions test unable to be completed | 3,231 | 0.65 |
| Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction | 3,208 | 0.64 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 499,285 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If a Mazda MX-5 gets a noise, emissions and leaks advisory, how often does it fail next time?
11.2% of Mazda MX-5 MOTs with a noise, emissions and leaks advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 2,028 miles later (15,496 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 15,496 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
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