In 2025, 251,467 Honda Civic cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 66% passed first time, compared with 66% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Civic about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 126 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 5 years old, 87% of Civics passed first time (all cars that age: 86%). By 20 years, that figure is 56% (all cars: 58%). It starts out ahead of the average car but falls behind from around 14 years, which is worth knowing if you are buying an older one.
Honda Civic All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Civic passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 years | 3,253 | 87% | 86% | 39,632 |
| 6 years | 12,545 | 86% | 84% | 46,086 |
| 7 years | 13,503 | 85% | 81% | 53,717 |
| 8 years | 14,501 | 83% | 78% | 58,209 |
| 9 years | 16,094 | 81% | 75% | 69,536 |
| 10 years | 14,921 | 79% | 72% | 79,269 |
| 11 years | 14,313 | 76% | 69% | 87,063 |
| 12 years | 15,091 | 72% | 66% | 96,512 |
| 13 years | 12,846 | 69% | 63% | 98,232 |
| 14 years | 10,807 | 57% | 61% | 96,732 |
| 15 years | 15,851 | 55% | 59% | 107,535 |
| 16 years | 17,439 | 54% | 58% | 112,964 |
| 17 years | 18,221 | 54% | 57% | 119,262 |
| 18 years | 18,931 | 54% | 57% | 122,095 |
| 19 years | 11,543 | 53% | 57% | 124,738 |
| 20 years | 10,972 | 56% | 58% | 109,833 |
What fails most on a Honda Civic
The area that lets the Civic down most, relative to other cars, is lights and electrics: 30.3% of tests failed on it, 1.8 times the rate for the average car.
Share of Civic tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 8.1% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 6.6% |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 4.7% |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 3.8% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 3.6% |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | Suspension | 3.3% |
What to check when buying a used Civic
Based on where the Civic fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Lights and electrics: Walk round with the lights on: headlights (dipped and main), indicators, brake lights, number-plate and fog lights. Bulbs are cheap, but a seller who hasn’t noticed one out may have missed more. Repair guide
- Steering: Feel for play or knocking through the wheel, and check power-steering fluid isn’t leaking. More
- Suspension: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, look for leaking shock absorbers, and check the car sits level. Ask whether springs, bushes or drop links have been replaced. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific Civic
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a CivicFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Honda Civic?
In 2025, 66% of Honda Civic cars passed their MOT first time, across 251,467 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 66%.
What do Honda Civic cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (8.1% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (6.6% of tests); a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (4.7% of tests).
Other Honda models
Honda Jazz (72%), Honda CR-V (74%), Honda HR-V (85%), Honda Accord (61%). All Honda models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.