Used car guide

2018 Mazda CX-3: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2018 Mazda CX-3s, from 5,649 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

5,649MOT tests in 2025
88%pass first time (all 2018 cars: 81%)
6,300typical miles a year
4.1×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2018 Mazda CX-3s than on all cars registered in 2018.

  • Rigid brake pipes4.1× usual
    Mazda CX-3
    3.3% All 2018 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.1% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

By area

The share of 2018 Mazda CX-3 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    27% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    23% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Suspension
    5% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    5% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a Mazda CX-3?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20197,582Tyres 26%
20174,863Tyres 27%
20164,869Brakes 28%
20152,328Tyres 28%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2018 Mazda CX-3s registered in 2018. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score