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Mazda 323 — Reliability by Year

91,850 vehicles · MOT data 1981–2003 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Mazda 323 was manufactured — click any year to explore that cohort in detail. Trying to decide which year to buy? See the full buying guide →

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Best pass rate year
2003
73.2% pass rate · 6,103 vehicles
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Lowest pass rate year
1990
59.9% pass rate · 3,434 vehicles
Year Pass rate Avg mileage Vehicles
2003
73.2%
59,605 mi 6,103
2002
73.1%
66,161 mi 6,895
2001
72.3%
70,081 mi 4,626
2000
70.1%
76,239 mi 5,501
1999
69.5%
79,005 mi 8,404
1998
67.3%
88,709 mi 10,952
1997
67.1%
92,478 mi 11,582
1996
66.8%
98,276 mi 7,265
1995
64.3%
101,514 mi 4,459
1994
62.9%
99,980 mi 3,814
1993
61.3%
99,826 mi 3,493
1992
61.5%
103,830 mi 3,356
1991
60.8%
104,816 mi 3,744
1990
59.9%
102,170 mi 3,434
1989
60.7%
90,591 mi 2,211
1988
61.9%
85,656 mi 1,501
1987
62.5%
85,329 mi 1,260
1986
61.3%
83,566 mi 739
1985
60.5%
70,020 mi 653
1984
60.6%
59,911 mi 658
1983
67.5%
61,450 mi 532
1982
71.2%
51,438 mi 411
1981
71.5%
64,141 mi 257

Which year Mazda 323 is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests.

Tests range from an average of 51,438 miles (newest year) to 104,816 miles (oldest year). Older years naturally accumulate more tests at higher mileages — see the mileage-normalised breakdown →

Trying to decide which year to buy?

We've done the full analysis — which years to look for, which to avoid, and where to find the best value for reliability on a Mazda 323.

See the buying guide →

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