MAZDA 62013 · 2.0L PETROL

The 2013 Mazda 6 presents a mixed maintenance picture. The most recent test, conducted on 26 February 2026 at 79,378 miles, passed but revealed multiple suspension advisories that were absent from the clean bill of health recorded in February 2025. Both nearside and offside front suspension arm rear bushes were flagged as worn, and the offside front anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover was recorded as severely deteriorated. A nearside rear tyre also showed cracking or perishing. These are new defects compared with the previous year's pass, suggesting the front end is now entering a phase of bushing and linkage wear typical of a thirteen-year-old vehicle. The trend is not alarming, but it has shifted from stable to slightly declining. The mileage progression is consistent and unremarkable. Between February 2022 and February 2026, the odometer advanced from 57,924 to 79,378 miles, an accumulation of roughly 5,360 miles per year. There are no suspicious gaps or sudden jumps in the record, and the annual test intervals align with typical use rather than long periods of inactivity or high-mileage commuting. The vehicle appears to have been driven steadily rather than neglected or hammered. The recurring advisory on front brake pads appearing in both the February 2023 and February 2024 tests, at 63,139 and 68,203 miles respectively, indicates the pads were being monitored across multiple annual cycles. By the 2026 test no brake defect was flagged, which may suggest replacement occurred between 2024 and 2025, when the record went clean. A buyer should verify the condition of the front brake discs and pads in person, along with the rear brakes, which have never been flagged but may now be approaching wear given the age and mileage. The suspension advisories in the 2026 test deserve closer physical inspection. Worn front suspension arm rear bushes and a deteriorated anti-roll bar linkage dust cover point to the kind of age-related deterioration that can progress quickly once it begins. A buyer should have the front subframe, wishbone bushes, anti-roll bar links, and drop links examined on a ramp, paying attention to play in the ball joints and any corrosion on mounting points. The perished nearside rear tyre should be replaced before use, and the remaining tyres should be checked for date codes and sidewall condition given the car's age.