Does the Mazda RX-8 fail the MOT on vehicle identification more than it should?
The Mazda RX-8 records 1.19 vehicle identification failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 0.63 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+0.56, 95% interval +0.41 to +0.71). It ranks 55 of 636 models on vehicle identification (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on vehicle identification · check a Mazda RX-8 by registration
What exactly fails on vehicle identification?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mazda RX-8 is “Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements”, recorded 93 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements | 93 | 0.48 |
| Number plate missing or so insecure that it is likely to fall off | 88 | 0.45 |
| Number plate inscription missing or illegible | 34 | 0.18 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 19,422 (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
Other pages for this model
Mazda RX-8 2003 · Mazda RX-8 2004 · Mazda RX-8 2005 · Mazda RX-8 2006 · Mazda RX-8 2007 · Mazda RX-8 2008 · Mazda RX-8 2009 · Mazda RX-8 2010 · Mazda RX-8 by postcode area · Mazda RX-8 body, chassis and structure failures · Mazda RX-8 brakes failures · Mazda RX-8 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mazda RX-8 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mazda RX-8 road wheels failures · Mazda RX-8 seat belts and airbags failures · Mazda RX-8 steering failures · Mazda RX-8 suspension failures · Mazda RX-8 tyres failures · Mazda RX-8 visibility failures