What year Mazda 626 LX is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1989 Mazda 626 LX has the highest pass rate at 86.3%, out of 1,391 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Mazda 626 LX MOT failures?

The most common Mazda 626 LX 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 LX — Reliability by Year

14,320 vehicles · MOT data 1983–1995 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the Mazda 626 LX 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

86.3% pass rate · 1,391 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1984

50.0% pass rate · 2,803 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1995	64.0%	101,753 mi	279
1994	62.4%	110,817 mi	310
1991	63.5%	96,449 mi	117
1990	59.7%	90,723 mi	173
1989	86.3%	122,710 mi	1,391
1988	72.4%	132,839 mi	1,133
1987	66.7%	101,201 mi	1,710
1986	55.0%	68,757 mi	1,693
1985	75.0%	95,590 mi	2,623
1984	50.0%	76,440 mi	2,803
1983	—	—	2,088

Which year Mazda 626 LX 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 68,757 miles (newest year) to 132,839 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 LX.

See the buying guide →

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Check any UK registration — free MOT history and risk insights.