Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
Enter a registration number to see MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and more for any Mazda MX-5.
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With 86,437 currently licensed in the UK, the Mazda MX-5 is one of Britain's most popular cars.
Euro NCAP awarded the MX-5 4 stars in 2015, with 81% adult occupant and 0% child protection scores.
Annual running costs are estimated at £3,407 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £284/month or 43p/mile.
NCAP Safety
2015
Monthly Cost
£284
est. annual total
New From
£29,000
Euro NCAP tested the MX-5 in 2015 and awarded it 4 out of 5 stars.
Adult Occupant
81%
Child Occupant
0%
Pedestrian
71%
Safety Assist
60%
There are 2 known DVSA recalls affecting the Mazda MX-5. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2023/159
Affected vehicles cannot be driven due to an error within the on-board charger which causes the vehicle to wrongly detect it is connected to an EV charge cable.
Build dates: 2022-04-19 to 2023-03-30
R/2021/154
The front passenger main frontal airbag could split at the seam and may not deploy correctly when the airbag is activated in a collision.
Build dates: 2020-05-19 to 2020-11-24
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Mazda MX-5 are estimated at around £3,407 per year, or £284 per month.
Fuel
£1,511
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£1,171
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
The MX-5 achieves a combined fuel economy of around 34.9 mpg (42.8 mpg urban, 42.8 mpg extra-urban).
| Variant | Fuel | Combined | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| MX - 5 | PETROL | 34.9 mpg | 1.6L |
| MX - 5 | PETROL | 33.2 mpg | 1.8L |
| MX - 5 (2004 MY) | PETROL | 36.7 mpg | 1.6L |
| MX - 5 (2004 MY) | PETROL | 32.5 mpg | 1.8L |
| MX - 5 (2005 MY) | PETROL | 38.7 mpg | 1.8L |
| MX - 5 (2005 MY) | PETROL | 36.7 mpg | 2.0L |
| MX-5 | PETROL | 44.8 mpg | 1.5L |
| MX-5 | PETROL | 39.8 mpg | 1.8L |
Starting from £29,000 new, a Mazda MX-5 typically retains about 56% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 75% | £21,750 | −£7,250 |
| 2 years | 64% | £18,500 | −£10,500 |
| 3 years | 56% | £16,250 | −£12,750 |
| 4 years | 50% | £14,650 | −£14,350 |
| 5 years | 46% | £13,450 | −£15,550 |
| 6 years | 43% | £12,550 | −£16,450 |
| 7 years | 41% | £11,800 | −£17,200 |
| 8 years | 39% | £11,200 | −£17,800 |
| 9 years | 37% | £10,650 | −£18,350 |
| 10 years | 35% | £10,100 | −£18,900 |
There are currently 86,437 licensed and 30,204 SORN MX-5s in the UK (116,641 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.
Euro NCAP awarded the MX-5 4 out of 5 stars when tested in 2015. It scored 81% for adult occupant protection, 0% for child occupant protection, 71% for vulnerable road users, and 60% for safety assist features.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old MX-5 are estimated at around £3,407 per year (£284/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There are 2 known safety recalls affecting the MX-5. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
A new MX-5 starts from around £29,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 46% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
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