2021 Honda Civic Vtec — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,246 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Honda Civic Vtec, the most common recorded failure areas were visibility, tyres and brakes. Its pass rate of 93.3% was above the average for cars of a similar age (91.2%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 11.3% in the 60-90k group versus 4.7% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.1% | 175 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.3% | 138 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.6% | 68 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 50 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 20 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.1% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 172 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 95 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 77 |
| 4 | Washers | 44 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 31 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 27 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 19.7% | 837 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.2% | 517 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.9% | 207 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.1% | 174 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 100 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.2% | 9 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 2,636 | 4.7% |
| 30-60k | 1,493 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 106 | 11.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 68 | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 2,068 | 5.9% |
| 2025 | 2,110 | 7.6% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Civic Vtec
Before buying a 2021 Honda Civic Vtec, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Visibility accounted for 4.1% of tests for this year.
- Visibility (4.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Tyres (3.3% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (1.6% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2021 Honda Civic Vtecs pass their MOT?
93.3% of the 4,246 2021 Honda Civic Vtec MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Honda Civic Vtec?
Visibility, recorded in 4.1% of tests, followed by tyres (3.3%).
Does the 2021 Civic Vtec get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.7% in the 0-30k band to 11.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,246 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.