1991 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1991 Honda Civic passed 79.7% of its 1,451 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (20.2% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.3%) and lighting & signalling (9.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, headlamp aim and joints — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 127 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.5% versus 12.8%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 25.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.4% in 2021 to 19.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.3% | 135 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.0% | 131 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.6% | 110 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.5% | 94 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.0% | 72 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.6% | 53 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 127 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 56 |
| 3 | Joints | 52 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 50 |
| 5 | Wipers | 45 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 41 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 25.9% | 376 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 21.2% | 307 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.6% | 285 |
| 4 | Tyres | 15.4% | 224 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 11.0% | 159 |
| 6 | Steering | 10.2% | 148 |
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 | 47 | 12.8% |
| 30-60k | 144 | 16.7% |
| 60-90k | 342 | 20.5% |
| 90-120k | 331 | 23.0% |
| 120-150k | 305 | 19.3% |
| 150k+ | 279 | 21.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 353 | 24.4% |
| 2022 | 302 | 18.9% |
| 2023 | 276 | 21.4% |
| 2024 | 259 | 16.6% |
| 2025 | 261 | 19.2% |
What to check before buying a 1991 Civic
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.3% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (9.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (7.6% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 1991 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
79.7% of the 1,451 1991 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1991 Honda Civic?
Suspension, recorded in 9.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.0%).
Does the 1991 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.8% in the 0-30k band to 21.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,451 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.