Used car guide

2020 Mazda CX-5: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2020 Mazda CX-5s, from 5,650 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

5,650MOT tests in 2025
88%pass first time (all 2020 cars: 86%)
7,500typical miles a year
1.9×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2020 Mazda CX-5s than on all cars registered in 2020.

  • Shock absorbers1.9× usual
    Mazda CX-5
    3.7% All 2020 cars
    2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.3% of all 2020 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

By area

The share of 2020 Mazda CX-5 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    25% 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
    22% 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
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Suspension
    6% 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.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    4% of testsRough price £80–£250

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

  • Lights and electrics
    3% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20227,252Tyres 18%
20215,478Tyres 22%
201910,124Tyres 26%
201810,104Tyres 26%
20177,290Brakes 28%
20167,017Suspension 32%
20156,872Suspension 38%
20146,553Suspension 45%
20134,809Suspension 51%
20121,319Suspension 51%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2020 Mazda CX-5s registered in 2020. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score