2014 Mazda 2 1.3L Petrol · V77 LAL

A pattern of recurring front suspension wear sits at the centre of this Mazda 2's roadworthiness record, with the most recent pass on 30 June 2026 accompanied by advisories for an offside rear coil spring corroded and both front brake discs pitted or scored. Looking back through the DVSA history, the front lower arm ball joint on the offside was first flagged for slight play in July 2024, was repeated as an advisory at the same test where a wiper failure was also recorded, and resurfaced on both sides a year later in July 2025 alongside front subframe corrosion. A fractured nearside rear coil spring caused a major failure in June 2023, and the same corner is now showing corrosion on the coil spring in 2026, suggesting that rear spring integrity on this vehicle is a progressive rather than one-off concern. Two clean passes with no recorded defects appear in 2021 and 2023, so the early history was tidy, but the cumulative picture across the last four tests is one of slowly accumulating advisories concentrated on the front suspension geometry, the front subframe, the brake discs and the rear springs. Recorded mileage stands at 86,710 miles across approximately twelve years, which equates to a typical annual accumulation of roughly 7,200 miles and places this car squarely in line with average usage for its age. Testing has been broadly annual since 2021 with no extended gaps, indicating the vehicle has remained in regular service rather than laid up, and the mileage progression between tests is consistent with steady commuter-style use. That level of mileage is sufficient to drive meaningful wear into original-equipment suspension bushes, anti-roll bar links, front brake discs and the rubber components of the steering rack, all of which align with the defects observed in the MOT record. The fact that advisories have begun to cluster rather than diminish suggests the car is now in the phase of its life where age-related consumables are demanding attention. For a prospective buyer, the immediate priorities on inspection are the front suspension arms and their bushes, given that slight play has been flagged on the offside lower ball joint across three consecutive tests and on both sides in 2025. On a test drive, listen for clonks or knocking from the front wheels over uneven surfaces, particularly on speed bumps and pothole edges, and feel for vagueness or a faint rattle through the steering wheel when traversing rough tarmac. With the car raised or with the wheels jacked in turn, grab the offside front wheel at three and nine o'clock and rock it to check for any worsening of the previously noted play, and inspect the lower arm front bush for visible cracking or movement relative to the arm body. The 2025 advisory for front subframe corrosion should be physically checked by looking at the front subframe mounting faces for any flaking, surface pitting or thinning steel, particularly around the suspension arm pick-up points, as corrosion flagged once can spread quickly on a chassis component. The rear springs merit close attention because a fractured nearside rear coil was a failure item in 2023 and the offside rear coil is now recorded as corroded in 2026. Visually inspect both rear springs for surface rust, cracks or any change in ride height indicating sag, and on the road listen for a metallic clunk from the rear over bumps which can indicate a failing spring end. The front brake discs were flagged as pitted or scored in both 2025 and 2026, so on the test drive expect to feel brake judder or vibration through the steering wheel under firm pedal application from higher speeds, and check the disc faces for a visible lip and ridging. Finally, the minor driver's view obstruction recorded in 2025 should be confirmed cleared, and a general check of all underbody fluid lines and the exhaust mounting rubbers is worthwhile given the cumulative age and the front subframe corrosion already documented.