What year Mazda 626 GTI 16v is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1989 Mazda 626 GTI 16v has the highest pass rate at 80.8%, out of 856 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Mazda 626 GTI 16v MOT failures?

The most common Mazda 626 GTI 16v MOT failures vary by year. Check the individual year pages for detailed defect breakdowns — links in the table above.

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Mazda 626 GTI 16v — Reliability by Year

1,915 vehicles · MOT data 1987–1989 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Mazda 626 GTI 16v 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

1989

80.8% pass rate · 856 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1988

56.7% pass rate · 864 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1989	80.8%	120,464 mi	856
1988	56.7%	128,427 mi	864
1987	73.3%	99,995 mi	195

Which year Mazda 626 GTI 16v is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests. Green = noticeably above average for this model; red = noticeably below average.

Tests range from an average of 99,995 miles (newest year) to 128,427 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 626 GTI 16v.

See the buying guide →

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