1992 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1992 Honda Civic passed 80.5% of its 1,155 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 20.9% of the time, so this is 1.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.7%) and suspension (8.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and service brake performance — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 63 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 3.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.7% once past 150k — 5.8× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 26.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 21.9% in 2021 to 18.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.7% | 101 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.5% | 98 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 72 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.1% | 70 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.9% | 57 |
| 6 | Steering | 4.1% | 47 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 63 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 61 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 51 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 39 |
| 5 | Joints | 39 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 29 |
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 | 26.8% | 310 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.3% | 257 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.1% | 186 |
| 4 | Tyres | 15.9% | 184 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 14.1% | 163 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.8% | 102 |
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 | 31 | 3.2% |
| 30-60k | 117 | 16.2% |
| 60-90k | 308 | 20.4% |
| 90-120k | 324 | 21.0% |
| 120-150k | 250 | 20.4% |
| 150k+ | 123 | 18.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 251 | 21.9% |
| 2022 | 253 | 21.7% |
| 2023 | 232 | 18.5% |
| 2024 | 201 | 15.9% |
| 2025 | 218 | 18.4% |
What to check before buying a 1992 Civic
On a 1992 Civic, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.5% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (6.2% 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 1992 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
80.5% of the 1,155 1992 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1992 Honda Civic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.7% of tests, followed by suspension (8.5%).
Does the 1992 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.2% in the 0-30k band to 18.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,155 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.