Mazda 6: common problems, best years and what to check
Stylish, well-made saloon and estate. Covers 2008–2022 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Mazda 6 a good used buy?
Best buy
2.0 / 2.5 Skyactiv-G
Avoid
Skyactiv-D used for short trips
Who it suits: Drivers wanting a stylish, premium-feeling family car.
What's good
- Beautiful styling
- Premium interior
- Good to drive
- Reliable petrol
What's not
- Diesel oil dilution
- Rust on GH
- Discontinued
- Average resale
By the numbers
- #137 most common model on UK roads, with about 50k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2016: 6.5k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 52% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- The most expensive common fault: Oil level rising from DPF regeneration / injector seals (up to £2,500).
Mazda 6 common problems by generation and engine
Mazda 6 GH (2008–2012) · hatch/saloon/estate
How to spot it: 08 plate to 12 plate. Swoopy saloon with a five-point grille.
2.0 / 2.2 diesel (R2, diesel, 2008–2012)
DPF issues
- DPF / injector faults£600–£2,00070k+
Faults on any GH (2008–2012) engine
- Rust on rear arches£200–£9008+ yrs
Mazda 6 GJ/GL (2013–2023) · saloon/Tourer
How to spot it: 13 plate to 23 plate. Kodo design with slim lights.
2.0 Skyactiv-G (PE-VPS, petrol, 2013–2023)
Non-turbo and very durable
- Minor oil weeps£100–£30080k+
2.2 Skyactiv-D (SH-VPTS, diesel, 2013–2023)
Strong but hates short trips
- Oil level rising from DPF regeneration / injector seals£300–£2,500any · Check: Check dipstick isn't over the X mark
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Mazda 6 years
How many Mazda 6s from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. Years that fall off the road faster: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — check these harder.
Mazda 6 MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Mazda 6s pass their MOT first time about as often as the average UK car of the same age.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 53% | 57% | 123k miles |
| 2009 | 59% | 58% | 122k miles |
| 2010 | 59% | 59% | 120k miles |
| 2011 | 59% | 61% | 114k miles |
| 2012 | 60% | 63% | 104k miles |
| 2013 | 66% | 66% | 105k miles |
| 2014 | 68% | 69% | 100k miles |
| 2015 | 71% | 72% | 92k miles |
| 2016 | 74% | 75% | 83k miles |
| 2017 | 77% | 78% | 72k miles |
| 2018 | 83% | 81% | 60k miles |
| 2019 | 87% | 84% | 49k miles |
| 2020 | 89% | 86% | 36k miles |
| 2021 | 89% | 87% | 32k miles |
| 2022 | 91% | 89% | 28k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Position lamp: not working5.06 per 100
- Ball joint excessively worn3.92 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3.54 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken3.52 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.86 per 100
- Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements2.85 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.62 per 100
- Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.58 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm25.6 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened16.54 per 100
- Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened14.54 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn13.87 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick13.78 per 100
- Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened12.13 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear11.7 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded11.18 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Mazda 6 have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skyactiv-G/D | chain | durable | £700–£1,300 |
Mazda 6 running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Mazda 6 ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Mazda 6 vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda 6 | 50k | 17–27 | 522 l | 2.0 / 2.5 Skyactiv-G |
| Volkswagen Passat | 155k | 14–30 | 650 l | 2015–2023 B8 2.0 TDI 150 estate |
| Ford Mondeo | 135k | 13–28 | 525 l | 2015+ Mk5 2.0 TDCi estate |
| Skoda Superb | 71k | 15–30 | 625 l | 2016+ B8 2.0 TDI 150 estate |
| Toyota Avensis | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Vauxhall Insignia | 170k | 11–30 | 490 l | 2017+ Insignia B 1.5T or 1.6/2.0 diesel |
What to check when buying a used Mazda 6
- Diesel oil level
Mazda 6 FAQ
›Is the Mazda 6 reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2.0 / 2.5 Skyactiv-G. Avoid: Skyactiv-D used for short trips.
›What is the Mazda 6 MOT pass rate?
70% of Mazda 6s passed their MOT first time in 2025 (47,338 tests), about average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: position lamp: not working.
›What are the most common Mazda 6 problems?
The costliest known faults are Oil level rising from DPF regeneration / injector seals; DPF / injector faults; Minor oil weeps. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Mazda 6 have a timing belt or chain?
Skyactiv-G/D: chain.
›What is the best year Mazda 6 to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2018, 2019, 2020 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Mazda 6 cost to run?
Real-world economy: 2.0 Skyactiv-G 40–46 mpg; 2.2 Skyactiv-D 50–58 mpg. Insurance groups 17–27. A minor service is about £160–£230 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Mazda 6?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Mazda 6 ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.