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Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
May 2009 Class: Medium cars
New price: £14,985 - £23,590 Used price: From £8,595
On sale:
Performance:
Ride comfort:
handling:
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
Boot & Storage:
Safety:
★★★
★★★★
Reliability:
★★★★
Total score:
76%
Spacious interior and extensive equipment.
Secure chassis and roadholding.
Good reliability so far.
Depreciates faster than more prestigious rivals.
Petrol engines are thrashy and thirsty.
Poor rearward visibility. Recommended models
in the range
Which? Car Top Choice Model
2.2d [150] Sport 5dr
New price: £20,500
Used price: £12,150
Fastest Model
2.3T MPS 5dr
New price: £23,590
Used price: £12,650
6.1 secs
0-62mph:
Most Efficient Model
1.6d [115] Venture 5dr
New price: £19,030
Used price: Combined fuel economy:
65.7 mpg
Cheapest Model to buy new
1.6 S 5dr
New price:
Overview
The sharply styled Mazda 3 is a spacious, practical and fun-to-drive family car that still ranks
as a strong contender, despite its advancing age. The second-generation Mazda 3 was
launched in 2009, then updated in February 2012. New models arriving with the 2012 update
included a more powerful 185bhp version of the 2.2d diesel and a new Sport derivative of the
1.6d diesel. A Venture special edition was launched in late 2012 and includes lots of extra equipment:
gunmetal grey alloy wheels, sat nav, Bluetooth, cruise control, heated front seats and
automatic lights/wipers. The aim is to keep the 3 competitive against newer rivals.
The Mazda 3 is a sensible choice thanks to Mazda’s excellent reliability record. It might not
be the best car of its type in any one area, but equally it doesn’t get anything very wrong. It
looks striking and, being based on the excellent Ford Focus platform, it’s fun to drive. It’s also a
spacious and practical choice. Other medium cars to consider include the Audi A3, Ford Focus and VW Golf, as well as
the great-value Kia Cee’d. See all of our medium car reviews
The interior isn’t as attractive or as solid-feeling as those in the Golf or A3. It also misses
out on some of the clever equipment available on newer cars, such as automatic emergency
braking systems.
The latest Which? Car Survey shows that the Mazda 3 has a respectable 84% owner
satisfaction score (down from last year’s 87%, however) and reliability is holding up well; it
achieved a four star rating. Diesel models have suffered issues with ECU (electronic control
unit) and exhaust, petrols with battery and ignition, and after four years old, engine electrics
and suspension can be troublesome. £14,985
Cheapest Model to buy used
1.6 TS 4dr
Used price:
£8,595
Cheapest Model to Run (new)
1.6d TS 5dr
New price: £16,540
Running costs: £13,749
(3 years/36,000 miles)
Owner’s View
A good comfortable
roomy car with a pretty
good performance and is
enjoyable to drive. Good
all-round workhorse which
often draws favourable
comments regarding its
sporty looks.
Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
Medium cars
On the road
How we test
Being based on the Ford Focus platform is no bad thing at all for the Mazda, which boasts
a fun-to-drive chassis with plenty of feel and feedback. The diesel engines work best in this
hatchback range, although the petrol engines aren’t a bad choice either. Overall, a sporty
feeling car.
Performance
★★★★
Undoubtedly the best choices are the diesels. The 115bhp 1.6-litre base diesel comes from
Peugeot and runs smoothly, with enough power for decent progress to be made. There’s also
a 2.2-litre diesel with 150bhp, which is very sprightly - or if you want a real hotshot, there’s now
a 185bhp version of this too. The smallest petrol engine is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder which does feel a little underpowered,
requiring you sometimes to rev it hard (expect to do plenty of gearshifting to maintain speed).
A 2.0-litre direct injection petrol engine with 151bhp is available with a stop-start system and
delivers good acceleration. If you’re a sports car fan, the MPS with its turbocharged 2.3-litre
engine is a real hoot - the model we tested recorded an overtaking time (from 35mph to
62mph) of 3.3 seconds - faster than many sports cars. All Mazda 3s enjoy a very good manual gearbox which is precise and easy to use.
Automatic is available on the 1.6 petrol.
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Ride comfort
Acceleration (37-62mph)
7.4 secs
5.4 secs
7.9 secs
7.5 secs
5.6 secs
3.3 secs
Rating
★★★★
★★★★★
★★★
★★
★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★
The ride is on the firm side, but it’s reasonably comfortable, with very little body roll. On poor
surfaces, however, the ride can become very jittery. Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Performance
Rating
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★★★
★★★
We use the sophisticated electronic timing
equipment to record standing-start and
in-gear acceleration, and repeat each test
several times.
Ride comfort
Ride comfort is assessed by our laboratory experts who have driven hundreds of
thousands of miles in a myriad of different
models.
Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
Medium cars
On the road continued...
How we test
Handling
★★★★
Handling
This is a very safe handling car, which tackled our hazard avoidance test with flying colours.
The electronic stability control works very effectively in slippery conditions and the car corners
in a broadly neutral fashion. The steering is also light, responsive, fast-acting and precise.
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
Rating
Brakes
★★★★
On-the-limit handling is explored well
away from public roads to ensure a fair
test. Our obstacle avoidance test is one of
the harshest tests in the industry..
Brakes
The brakes respond well and offer plenty of feel through your right foot. Both the 1.6 petrol and
2.2 diesel models we tested took 38m to come to a standstill from 62mph. The high-performance 2.3-litre MPS, with an upgraded brake system over standard
models, came to a halt from the same speed in 37.7m.
The Which? Car braking test measures
stopping distance from 62-0mph and is
repeated ten times in quick succession to
highlight any brake fade issues.
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Refinement and noise
Braking distance (62-0mph)
38.0m
37.8m
37.6m
37.8m
39.2m
37.7m
Rating
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★★★
★★★★
Refinement and noise
This is a refined car, with low wind and road noise levels. All diesel engines run very smoothly,
although the petrol engines become rather thrashy at higher speeds.
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Cruising noise
69dB
69dB
69dB
69dB
71dB
70dB
Rating
★★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★★★
The Which? Car experts use a decibel
meter to record interior sound levels
at common UK motorway speeds, and
combine this with subjective assessments
to arrive at an overall score.
Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
Medium cars
On the road continued...
How we test
Cabin and controls
★★★★
Cabin and controls
Most aspects of the Mazda 3 are simple and functional. The dials are large and easy to read,
and most of the controls are straightforward. The heating and ventilation controls are placed
rather low, though, and the air conditioning controls and displays are too far apart from each
other.
Build quality is very good throughout. Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Rating
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★
Visibility and parking
Visibility is a disappointing aspect, particularly to the sides and rear (very thick pillars are to
blame), although it’s better to the front. A rear view mirror blind spot assistance system is
available, as are rear parking sensors.
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Turning circle
11.1m
11.1m
11.1m
11.1m
11.1m
12.1m
Rating
★★★
★★★
★★★
★★★
★★★★
★★★★
We penalise cars with difficult controls,
and we look for things like backlit light
switches and easy-to-use heating and
ventilation adjustments.
Visibility and parking
Visibility is a major issue for motorists
today, so each car gets a 360-degree
swivel view test to reproduce the driver’s
eye view and any obscured areas.
Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
Medium cars
Comfort and practicality
How we test
A spacious, airy-feeling cabin makes the Mazda 3 a pleasant place to be. It’s comfortable for
four adults - five at a push - and offers easy access and decent boot space. Getting in and out
Getting in and out
★★★★
It’s pretty easy to get in and out of the Mazda 3, thanks to low sills and well-positioned seats.
It’s a little trickier getting into the back because of narrower door apertures. Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Seat space and comfort
Rating
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★
Seat space and comfort
★★★
With lots of headroom and a very broad cabin, the Mazda 3 is not only spacious but very
pleasant feeling. The driver’s seat will happily fit people over 1.90m tall. In the rear, the middle
rear seat is rather narrow but there’s enough space for tall adults in the outer two seats. Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
We take measurements all around the
driver and passenger’s door apertures
and note the height of the seat, door sills
and step down onto the car floor. The
best cars don’t require too much bending
or stretching to get in and out.
Rating
★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★★
★★★★
★★★
We assess seat comfort subjectively,
using our road testers’ expert knowledge
and experience from thousands of different cars. And we measure the head-, legand elbowroom on offer in every seat, to
see how well the car caters for people of
all shapes and sizes.
Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
Medium cars
Comfort and practicality continued...
How we test
Boot and storage
★★★
Boot and storage
At 360 litres, the boot is about average for this class (although if you specify the optional Bose
sound system, luggage space drops to just 285 litres). Folding the split rear seats (an easy
operation) liberates up to 715 litres (measured up to window line). The tailgate is easy to lift and
close, offering easy access to a well-shaped boot - although there’s a a step in the load floor if
you fold the seats.
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Heating and ventilation
Boot space (seats up/down)
285 litres / 640 litres
345 litres / 700 litres
360 litres / 715 litres
345 litres / 700 litres
285 litres / 640 litres
285 litres / 640 litres
Rating
★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★★
★★★
Carmakers give official stats for boot
space, but our tests are more realistic. We
load the boot up with measuring blocks
only as far as the rear window line, so
that luggage is well secured and won’t
obscure rear visibility. We repeat the test
with the rear seats up, and folded down
(where possible).
Heating and ventilation
★★★★
Air conditioning is standard even on the entry-level Mazda 3, and it works very effectively. Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Rating
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★
★★★★★
★★★
Feel sorry for the tester who has to warm
each car up from a frosty -10 degrees in
our climate chamber. Starting with a cold
engine, we measure how long it takes to
warm up the front and rear of the cabin.
Diesel cars usually take longer. We also
check the effectiveness of air conditioning, where fitted.
Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
Medium cars
Running costs and depreciation
How we test
The Mazda 3 range certainly isn’t at the budget end of the medium car spectrum, but neither is
it premium-priced. Depreciation is on a par with other mainstream cars in this market segment,
but not as good as the Volkswagen Golf. Fuel consumption
Fuel consumption
Our 2009 test of the 1.6 diesel averaged 50.4mpg, well below the claimed figure of 62.8mpg
at the time (improvements have since changed the claim to 65.7mpg). As for the 150bhp 2.2
diesel, we averaged 53.3mpg, close to the 54.3 claim. The 105bhp 1.6-litre petrol version actually bettered the official claim of 44.1mpg in our test,
returning 44.8mpg. The 2.0-litre i-Stop petrol model averaged 39.8mpg (claimed 41.5). The performance 2.3-litre MPS will be the costliest to your account, although the tested
30.7mpg return is actually better than the 30.1mpg claim from Mazda.
Petrol (combined mpg, claimed)
29.4 mpg - 44.8 mpg
Diesel (combined mpg, claimed)
50.4 mpg - 65.7 mpg
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Urban (claimed/tested)
48.7 mpg/46.3 mpg
42.8 mpg/47.1 mpg
34.0 mpg/34.4 mpg
33.6 mpg/37.2 mpg
30.4 mpg/31.7 mpg
21.4 mpg/22.6 mpg
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Extra urban (claimed/tested)
74.3 mpg/62.8 mpg
64.2 mpg/67.3 mpg
54.3 mpg/53.3 mpg
54.3 mpg/52.3 mpg
52.3 mpg/51.4 mpg
37.7 mpg/36.2 mpg
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Motorway (measured)
41.5 mpg
44.8 mpg
35.3 mpg
38.7 mpg
36.2 mpg
28.5 mpg
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Combined (claimed/tested)
62.8 mpg/50.4 mpg
54.3 mpg/53.3 mpg
44.8 mpg/41.5 mpg
44.1 mpg/44.8 mpg
41.5 mpg/39.8 mpg
30.1 mpg/30.7 mpg
We test fuel economy under strict lab
conditions – using realistic test cycles – to
reveal the facts behind the figures. Our
figures rarely match manufacturer claims
as, unlike the official mpg test, we measure economy with both a hot and cold
engine, and on the motorway.
Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
Medium cars
Running costs and depreciation continued...
How we test
Emissions
Emissions
The current 1.6 diesel emits 115g/km of CO2, crucially putting into the tax-friendly sub-120g/km
group. The 150bhp 2.2 diesel emits 139g/km. As for the rather thirsty petrol units, the 1.6 emits
147g/km, the 2.0 157g/km and the 2.3 MPS 224g/km. Petrol (CO2, claimed)
144g per km - 224g per km
Diesel (CO2, claimed)
115g per km - 149g per km
Model tested
diesel 1.6 (109bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
diesel 2.2 (150bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 1.6 (105bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
petrol 2.0 i-stop (150bhp) manual 5-door (2009)
petrol 2.3 MPS (260bhp) manual 5-door (2012)
Emissions (claimed/tested)
119g per km/144g per km
139g per km/139g per km
149g per km/158g per km
147g per km/171g per km
159g per km/165g per km
219g per km/251g per km
Safety and security
Stability control and brake assist are standard, as are front and side airbags and front-to-rear
curtain airbags. Mazda’s blind spot assist system, where fitted, works well, with a yellow light
in the wing mirror to warn you that there is another vehicle in your blind spot, and a warning
sound if you then indicate. The front headrests only offer adequate protection for people up to
1.80m tall, and the ones in the rear up to 1.60m tall, which isn’t enough. Isofix attachments are
available on the outer rear seats, while child seats can be mounted using the car’s seatbelts,
but inadequate anchorage points make the centre rear seat inappropriate for child seats. One
significant issue is that the front airbag cannot be deactivated, so a rear-facing child seat can’t
be used up front.
This is our video of the obstacle avoidance test carried out on the 2009 Mazda 3
hatchback. Please enable JavaScript to access this content.
Euro NCAP score
★★★★★
The new Mazda 3 performed well in EuroNCAP tests, with a five-star overall rating. Adult
protection was rated at 86% and child protection at 81%, while safety assist features scored
71%. Pedestrian safety of 51% is not so impressive.
Here is the video of the 2009 Mazda 3 Euro NCAP frontal crash test.
(Year tested: 2009)
Adult occupant
Child protection
Pedestrian protection
Safety assist
86%
84%
51%
71%
Which? safety rating
Active (crash avoidance)
Passive (crash safety)
Child
Pedestrian
★★★★
69%
68%
52%
49%
Security
Theft of car: Theft from car:
While testing fuel economy, we also
collect exhaust gases to enable us to
measure the amount of carbon dioxide
(CO2) emitted. We also check whether
particulate filters are effective at removing
sooty emissions from diesel engines.
Safety
We rate cars for safety using Euro NCAP
crash test scores (where available),
alongside our own comprehensive safety
checklist. Uniquely, we also feed in results
from our accident avoidance test – after
all, it’s far better to steer around a crash
than rely on the airbags...
Security
Security scores come from the security
experts at Thatcham, who break into
hundreds of cars each year. Most modern
cars are very difficult to drive away, but
are still too easy to steal from.
Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
Medium cars
Which? Car Survey results
About our survey
The Which? Car Survey is the UK’s biggest and best reliability and owner satisfaction survey.
In 2013, drivers told us about 57,182 cars, covering more than 450 million miles in the previous
12 months (that’s equivalent to driving 18,398 times around the world). This unique feedback
allows us to rate satisfaction and reliability for hundreds of new and used cars.
Note Star ratings below are from 1-5 (1 is very poor and 5 is very good). Percentages shown
under ‘Most common faults’ indicate the proportion of owners reporting each problem in the
past 12 months.
Brand
Sample size: 2,229 people
Mazda ratings
Overall owner satisfaction for this brand
Brand reliability
Dealer Servicing & repair
Sample size: 303 people
Ownership ratings
Overall owner satisfaction for this range
Driving enjoyment
Ease of driving
Comfort
Dash layout and controls
In-car technology
Styling
Build quality
Practicality
Value for money
Everyone who takes part in the Which?
Car survey tells us about their car and
the dealers who sell and service it. We
analyse this feedback across all cars to
give top-level satisfaction ratings for each
brand, including the brand’s reliability
record over the last eight years. All star
ratings are out of five.
Model ownership ratings
★★★
★★★
Dealer Sales Service
Model: Mazda 3 (2009-)
81%
Brand ratings
These show how owners score this car
in 12 different areas, from performance to
heating. Owners’ ratings are subjective –
so may differ from Which? Car test scores
– but they give a good idea of what the
car is like to live with. Where relevant, cars
are scored against other cars in the same
class (e.g. for space).
83%
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
★★★★
Owner’s View
It’s a good looking car. It
handles well, has amazing
acceleration and good fuel
economy. Comfortable
ride, easy to read dash layout, good media unit with
bluetooth for hands-free
phone use and MP3 inputs.
BOSE speaker system give
Owner’s View
Easy to drive, very powerful
and responsive, engine
quiet, smooth gear change,
excellent braking and
handling. Heated screen
good and good lighting.
Which? Car review
Mazda 3 (2009-)
Medium cars
Which? Car Survey results continued...
About our survey
Reliability ratings
Reliability ratings
Overall Reliability
Petrol cars
Reliability
Breakdowns
Average annual repair cost
Diesel cars
Reliability
Breakdowns
Average annual repair cost
All cars
Reliability
Breakdowns
Average annual repair cost
★★★★
Up to 3 years old
3-8 years old
★★★★★
1%
£8
★★★★
2%
£6
-
-
-
-
We split reliability into breakdowns (including failure to start), faults (where parts
need replacing) and problems (minor issues e.g. squeaks and loose trim). Where
the car has been on sale for some time,
and we have numerous survey responses
from owners, we also split scores by the
age of car and fuel type. Star ratings are
out of five – the more stars, the more reliable the car.
Most common faults
Breakdowns: Percentage of cars suffering a breakdown in last 12 months
Average annual repair cost: Average annual cost of repairs (not servicing), in past 12
months
Most common faults
Up to 3 years old
Other Minor
ECU (D) Exhaust System (D) Interior - Other
Non-Engine electrics - Other
5%
4%
3%
2%
2%
3-8 years old
-
-
-
-
-
-
Failure rate: The proportion of owners reporting this problem in the last year
Want to know what’s most likely to go
wrong as the car gets older? These are
the five most common faults reported by
owners, grouped by age into new, recent
and older cars. A score of 40% means
four out of 10 owners reported problems
with that part of the car over the previous
12 months. Engine electrics and non-engine electrics (e.g. windows, stereo) cause
more headaches than mechanical parts in
most modern cars.