Is the Honda Civic reliable?
The Honda Civic has a first-time MOT pass rate of 67.1%, from 812,949 tests on cars dating from 2000 to 2022. All cars together manage 71.7%. Raw pass rates flatter young models and punish old ones, so we also compare each Civic with cars of the same age: on that basis it does 3 points better than a typical car, which makes it above average. The cleanest measure of build quality is the first test at three years old, where the Civic scores 92.3% against 87.9% for all cars. The most common reason for a fail is a sidelight not working.
What fails a Honda Civic at its MOT
A sidelight not working is recorded on 13.4% of failed Honda Civic tests, followed by headlamp aim out of adjustment at 7.8% and a brake light not working at 6.7%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
A blown bulb fails the test as surely as a worn brake, and a bulb is a few pounds. Check brake lights with the car reversed up to a wall.
Advisories to expect on a Civic
These are the advisories most often recorded on a Honda Civic: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 16% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. How often each category of advisory turns into a failure is measured across the whole dataset.
Does fuel type matter on a Civic?
The hybrid Civic has the better record at 71.3%; the other manages 64.8%. 6.5 points is a real difference. Allow for the hybrid fleet being younger.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 66.9% | 615,001 |
| Diesel | 67.7% | 187,298 |
| Hybrid | 71.3% | 5,056 |
| Electric | 64.9% | 1,357 |
| Other | 64.8% | 1,248 |
Pass rate by year of first use
Pass rates run from 62.6% for 2000 cars to 93.6% for 2022 cars. Most of that spread is age: a car tested at ten years old has had far more chances to wear something out than one tested at four.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic 2022 | 93.6% | 1,431 | 7,728 | 93.7% |
| Honda Civic 2021 | 90% | 9,696 | 7,550 | 92% |
| Honda Civic 2020 | 89.6% | 16,674 | 7,495 | 92.2% |
| Honda Civic 2019 | 87.5% | 37,530 | 7,659 | – |
| Honda Civic 2018 | 85% | 40,100 | 7,686 | – |
| Honda Civic 2017 | 84.4% | 43,237 | 7,300 | – |
| Honda Civic 2016 | 82.7% | 48,010 | 7,796 | – |
| Honda Civic 2015 | 80.9% | 44,522 | 8,018 | – |
| Honda Civic 2014 | 77.3% | 42,758 | 8,032 | – |
| Honda Civic 2013 | 73.7% | 45,421 | 8,173 | – |
| Honda Civic 2012 | 71.3% | 38,952 | 7,703 | – |
| Honda Civic 2011 | 58.6% | 33,160 | 7,044 | – |
| Honda Civic 2010 | 56.3% | 49,753 | 7,391 | – |
| Honda Civic 2009 | 55.6% | 56,665 | 7,324 | – |
| Honda Civic 2008 | 55.1% | 62,392 | 7,299 | – |
| Honda Civic 2007 | 54.8% | 67,733 | 7,106 | – |
| Honda Civic 2006 | 54.1% | 43,534 | 6,892 | – |
| Honda Civic 2005 | 56.2% | 38,024 | 5,721 | – |
| Honda Civic 2004 | 56% | 31,688 | 5,550 | – |
| Honda Civic 2003 | 53.6% | 22,889 | 5,080 | – |
| Honda Civic 2002 | 54.5% | 19,906 | 4,924 | – |
| Honda Civic 2001 | 54.3% | 13,692 | 4,412 | – |
| Honda Civic 2000 | 62.6% | 5,182 | 4,015 | – |
How mileage changes the Civic's odds
Take the 2007 Civic, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 74.1% of the time, and that falls to 51.9% over 100,000. A 22-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2007 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 74.1% | 996 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 70.1% | 2,585 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 63.7% | 5,990 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 57.4% | 11,010 |
| Over 100,000 | 51.9% | 47,067 |
Compared with other cars
The average Honda passes 72.1% of tests, so the Civic is below the make's own average. Within the family, see Honda Jazz MOT pass rate (74.4%), CR-V common problems (74.2%) and HR-V common problems (88.1%), or every Honda model compared. For a cross-make comparison, the Toyota Aygo and Ford Kuga have similar test volumes and their own pages. The ranking of every make puts them side by side, and the statistics for all 98 million tests give the baseline.
Each Civic year in detail
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Honda Civic 2022 93.6% pass 1,431 tests93.7% at first MOT
On a 2022 Honda Civic, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 22.8% of failed tests, with wipers not clearing the screen next at 19.6%.
2022 cars pass 93.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 100% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 93.9% | 1,321 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.6% | 97 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 100% | 9 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 100% | 3 |
| Over 100,000 | 100% | 1 |
Honda Civic 2021 90% pass 9,696 tests92% at first MOT
On a 2021 Honda Civic, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 31.6% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 14.6%.
2021 cars pass 91% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 73.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 91% | 8,404 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84.1% | 1,064 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.1% | 168 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 82.2% | 45 |
| Over 100,000 | 73.3% | 15 |
Honda Civic 2020 89.6% pass 16,674 tests92.2% at first MOT
On a 2020 Honda Civic, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 20.6% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 16.5%.
2020 cars pass 90.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 85.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.9% | 13,038 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.3% | 2,603 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 84.4% | 718 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 82.8% | 203 |
| Over 100,000 | 85.7% | 112 |
By fuel: petrol 90% (13,683 tests), diesel 87.7% (2,980 tests).
Honda Civic 2019 87.5% pass 37,530 tests
On a 2019 Honda Civic, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 21.3% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 18.6%.
2019 cars pass 89.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 81.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.6% | 22,882 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85% | 9,975 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.8% | 3,222 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80.1% | 993 |
| Over 100,000 | 81.8% | 457 |
By fuel: petrol 88.2% (30,879 tests), diesel 84.1% (6,641 tests).
Honda Civic 2018 85% pass 40,100 tests
On a 2018 Honda Civic, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 17.5% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 16.3%.
2018 cars pass 87.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 79.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.8% | 17,628 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84% | 13,845 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.8% | 5,912 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 78.6% | 1,837 |
| Over 100,000 | 79.2% | 876 |
By fuel: petrol 85.6% (32,137 tests), diesel 82.4% (7,960 tests).
Honda Civic 2017 84.4% pass 43,237 tests
On a 2017 Honda Civic, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 17.1% of failed tests, with wipers not clearing the screen next at 13.2%.
2017 cars pass 88.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 73.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.6% | 15,132 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84.5% | 15,324 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.3% | 8,233 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 77.8% | 2,968 |
| Over 100,000 | 73.4% | 1,576 |
By fuel: petrol 85% (37,525 tests), diesel 80.5% (5,706 tests).
Honda Civic 2016 82.7% pass 48,010 tests
On a 2016 Honda Civic, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 16.7% of failed tests, with a headlamp not working next at 12.9%.
2016 cars pass 89.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 72.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.6% | 11,268 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.1% | 14,266 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81% | 11,250 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 76% | 6,264 |
| Over 100,000 | 72.4% | 4,956 |
By fuel: petrol 84.9% (28,065 tests), diesel 79.7% (19,933 tests).
Honda Civic 2015 80.9% pass 44,522 tests
On a 2015 Honda Civic, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 16.3% of failed tests, with a headlamp not working next at 12.1%.
2015 cars pass 89.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 72.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.1% | 6,741 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.4% | 10,973 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.8% | 11,247 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 76.3% | 7,798 |
| Over 100,000 | 72.2% | 7,746 |
By fuel: petrol 83.5% (23,471 tests), diesel 78% (21,046 tests).
Honda Civic 2014 77.3% pass 42,758 tests
On a 2014 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 20.4% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 12.1%.
2014 cars pass 87.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 68.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.8% | 4,660 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.7% | 8,501 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79% | 10,211 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 74.5% | 8,446 |
| Over 100,000 | 68.5% | 10,921 |
By fuel: diesel 75.1% (21,657 tests), petrol 79.6% (21,096 tests).
Honda Civic 2013 73.7% pass 45,421 tests
On a 2013 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 23% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 11.4%.
2013 cars pass 88.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 65.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88.1% | 3,123 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.7% | 6,650 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 77.7% | 9,752 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 72.6% | 10,049 |
| Over 100,000 | 65.4% | 15,828 |
By fuel: petrol 75.8% (23,415 tests), diesel 71.5% (22,002 tests).
Honda Civic 2012 71.3% pass 38,952 tests
On a 2012 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 24.1% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 10%.
2012 cars pass 84.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 64.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 84.3% | 1,996 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.6% | 5,178 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75.5% | 8,244 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 69.8% | 8,953 |
| Over 100,000 | 64.3% | 14,541 |
By fuel: petrol 73% (26,781 tests), diesel 67.5% (12,150 tests).
Honda Civic 2011 58.6% pass 33,160 tests
On a 2011 Honda Civic, a brake light not working appears on 21.8% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 17.8%.
2011 cars pass 77.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 52.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.5% | 1,325 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68% | 4,083 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 62.7% | 7,283 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 56.5% | 8,289 |
| Over 100,000 | 52.3% | 12,170 |
By fuel: petrol 58.6% (32,148 tests), diesel 56.2% (966 tests).
Honda Civic 2010 56.3% pass 49,753 tests
On a 2010 Honda Civic, a brake light not working appears on 20.1% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 19.1%.
2010 cars pass 76.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 51.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 76.8% | 1,592 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 70.2% | 3,892 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 60.8% | 8,146 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.9% | 11,068 |
| Over 100,000 | 51.6% | 25,032 |
By fuel: petrol 56.9% (38,351 tests), diesel 53.8% (10,732 tests).
Honda Civic 2009 55.6% pass 56,665 tests
On a 2009 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 18.7% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 16.9%.
2009 cars pass 75.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 51.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 75.5% | 1,472 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.8% | 3,530 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 60.9% | 7,475 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 57.2% | 11,497 |
| Over 100,000 | 51.4% | 32,657 |
By fuel: petrol 56.6% (41,815 tests), diesel 51.4% (13,621 tests), hybrid 69.6% (681 tests).
Honda Civic 2008 55.1% pass 62,392 tests
On a 2008 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 18.6% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 16%.
2008 cars pass 75.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 52% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 75.1% | 950 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 66.7% | 2,526 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 62.1% | 6,473 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 57.7% | 11,658 |
| Over 100,000 | 52% | 40,725 |
By fuel: petrol 55.6% (44,730 tests), diesel 51.9% (14,866 tests), hybrid 62% (1,585 tests), electric 64% (641 tests), other 66.5% (570 tests).
Honda Civic 2007 54.8% pass 67,733 tests
On a 2007 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 18% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 16.7%.
2007 cars pass 74.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 51.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 74.1% | 996 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 70.1% | 2,585 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 63.7% | 5,990 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 57.4% | 11,010 |
| Over 100,000 | 51.9% | 47,067 |
By fuel: petrol 55.5% (48,735 tests), diesel 50.8% (15,934 tests), hybrid 64.8% (1,670 tests), electric 65.8% (716 tests), other 63.4% (678 tests).
Honda Civic 2006 54.1% pass 43,534 tests
On a 2006 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 18.5% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 16.2%.
2006 cars pass 71.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 51.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 71.1% | 610 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 70.2% | 1,445 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 63.2% | 3,616 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 57.1% | 6,471 |
| Over 100,000 | 51.4% | 31,330 |
By fuel: petrol 54.7% (33,917 tests), diesel 51.8% (9,132 tests).
Honda Civic 2005 56.2% pass 38,024 tests
On a 2005 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 17.5% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 12.7%.
2005 cars pass 74.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 52.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 74.3% | 1,000 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 66.7% | 2,685 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 62.3% | 5,230 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.7% | 7,158 |
| Over 100,000 | 52.8% | 21,889 |
By fuel: petrol 56.3% (36,575 tests), diesel 51.3% (1,318 tests).
Honda Civic 2004 56% pass 31,688 tests
On a 2004 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 17.9% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 12.1%.
2004 cars pass 72.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 52.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 72.2% | 697 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.1% | 2,244 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 61.8% | 4,014 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.8% | 5,856 |
| Over 100,000 | 52.8% | 18,847 |
By fuel: petrol 56% (30,925 tests), diesel 52.9% (654 tests).
Honda Civic 2003 53.6% pass 22,889 tests
On a 2003 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 17.9% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 13.8%.
2003 cars pass 71.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 49.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 71.8% | 620 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 65.3% | 1,914 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 58% | 3,309 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 54.3% | 4,387 |
| Over 100,000 | 49.6% | 12,625 |
Honda Civic 2002 54.5% pass 19,906 tests
On a 2002 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 16.9% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 15.9%.
2002 cars pass 71.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 51.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 71.7% | 594 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 62.4% | 1,586 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 59.6% | 2,790 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 54.8% | 3,841 |
| Over 100,000 | 51.1% | 11,056 |
Honda Civic 2001 54.3% pass 13,692 tests
On a 2001 Honda Civic, a sidelight not working appears on 16.9% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 16%.
2001 cars pass 68.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 49% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 68.4% | 519 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 65.9% | 1,371 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 58.4% | 2,261 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.6% | 2,804 |
| Over 100,000 | 49% | 6,688 |
Honda Civic 2000 62.6% pass 5,182 tests
On a 2000 Honda Civic, body mounting corroded at a mounting point appears on 11.9% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 11.5%.
2000 cars pass 76.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 60.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 76.6% | 248 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 64.1% | 644 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 64.8% | 971 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 60.5% | 1,134 |
| Over 100,000 | 60.7% | 2,181 |
Questions people ask
How reliable is the Honda Civic?
On MOT evidence the Honda Civic is above average. It passes 67.1% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 3 points. 92.3% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 812,949 DVSA tests.
What fails a Honda Civic MOT most often?
A sidelight not working (13.4% of failed tests), headlamp aim out of adjustment (7.8%) and a brake light not working (6.7%). A blown bulb fails the test as surely as a worn brake, and a bulb is a few pounds. Check brake lights with the car reversed up to a wall.
What is the best year for a used Honda Civic?
Among years with a large sample, 2021 cars have the highest pass rate at 90% and 2003 cars the lowest at 53.6%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a Honda Civic usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 16% of all Civic tests, then a damaged tyre sidewall (9.7%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Honda Civic do?
About 7,145 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is close to the UK average of roughly 7,400.
Does the Honda Civic pass rate apply to my car?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Looking at a specific Honda Civic?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 7,145 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.