What year Mazda 626 Lxi is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1998 Mazda 626 Lxi has the highest pass rate at 66.8%, out of 261 vehicles tested.

What are the most common Mazda 626 Lxi MOT failures?

The most common Mazda 626 Lxi 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 Lxi — Reliability by Year

1,063 vehicles · MOT data 1996–1998 · first-test pass rates

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

1998

66.8% pass rate · 261 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1997

63.4% pass rate · 414 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1998	66.8%	98,820 mi	261
1997	63.4%	98,614 mi	414
1996	64.8%	99,284 mi	388

Which year Mazda 626 Lxi is most reliable?

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

Tests range from an average of 98,614 miles (newest year) to 99,284 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 Lxi.

See the buying guide →

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