Honda Civic MOT failure rate and common faults
229,539 Honda Civic cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 31.6% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 32.9% of the time, which makes the Honda Civic 4% less likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
31.6%
failed first time
229,539 MOT tests in 2025
-4%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 32.9%
111 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
118.4
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 117.8
What fails on a Honda Civic MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Honda Civic MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 59.6 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights and electrics | 53.7 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 35.0 |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 33.7 |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 32.1 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 26.1 |
| Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak | Suspension | 24.1 |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam | Lights and electrics | 22.7 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 21.1 |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | Lights and electrics | 18.3 |
Honda Civic MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,410 | 6.2% | 11.4% | 22,900 |
| 2021 | 4,891 | 12.0% | 12.8% | 29,700 |
| 2020 | 5,553 | 13.0% | 14.1% | 37,400 |
| 2019 | 12,615 | 14.0% | 16.5% | 46,100 |
| 2018 | 13,504 | 15.1% | 19.1% | 53,700 |
| 2017 | 14,502 | 16.7% | 21.8% | 58,200 |
| 2016 | 16,094 | 19.2% | 25.1% | 69,500 |
| 2015 | 14,921 | 20.7% | 28.1% | 79,300 |
| 2014 | 14,313 | 24.1% | 31.4% | 87,100 |
| 2013 | 15,091 | 28.4% | 34.3% | 96,500 |
| 2012 | 12,847 | 31.0% | 36.6% | 98,200 |
| 2011 | 10,809 | 42.6% | 38.8% | 96,700 |
| 2010 | 15,854 | 45.1% | 40.7% | 107,500 |
| 2009 | 17,443 | 45.7% | 41.8% | 113,000 |
| 2008 | 18,228 | 46.1% | 42.9% | 119,300 |
| 2007 | 18,941 | 46.0% | 42.7% | 122,100 |
| 2006 | 11,546 | 46.6% | 43.0% | 124,700 |
| 2005 | 10,977 | 43.5% | 42.4% | 109,800 |
Advisories to look for in a Honda Civic's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Honda Civic, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge268.1
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing142.1
- Brake pads: wearing thin135.7
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened119.9
- Coil spring: corroded78.5
- Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement64.3
Checking a used Honda Civic before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Honda Civic fails more often than average on lights and electrics. Start there.
Lights and electrics
Walk round the car with every light on: headlights on dip and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and the number plate lamp. A pattern of electrical faults costs more than a bulb.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Fuel mix of the Honda Civic cars tested: Petrol 73%, Diesel 25%. Average age at test 12.6 years, average recorded mileage 89,900.
Honda Civic MOT questions
What is the Honda Civic MOT failure rate?
31.6% of Honda Civic cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 229,539 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 32.9% of the time, so the Honda Civic was 4% less likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Honda Civic MOT?
Lights and electrics caused the most failure items, at 292 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Position lamp: not working", recorded 59.6 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Honda Civic year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2022 registrations did best: 6.2% failed against an average of 11.4% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Honda Civic will pass?
No. These are averages across every Honda Civic tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Honda models
- Honda Jazz24.6% failed
- Honda CR-V23.8% failed
- Honda HR-V11.8% failed
Ranked close to the Honda Civic
- Range Rover Velarrank 108
- SEAT Alhambrarank 109
- Kia Xceedrank 110
- Hyundai i10rank 112
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Honda Civic cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.