1995 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,694 MOT tests, the 1995 Honda Civic recorded a 78.9% pass rate. That is 3.4 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.2%) and body, structure & corrosion (7.9%) 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 steering rack — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 199 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.6% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 30.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 23.1% in 2021 to 15.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.2% | 274 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.9% | 212 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.5% | 203 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.9% | 185 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.2% | 168 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.0% | 135 |
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 | 199 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 166 |
| 3 | Steering rack | 118 |
| 4 | Joints | 115 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 114 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 94 |
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 | 30.6% | 825 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.2% | 572 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 18.3% | 494 |
| 4 | Tyres | 17.7% | 476 |
| 5 | Other defects | 13.7% | 368 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.7% | 343 |
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 | 45 | 17.8% |
| 30-60k | 446 | 17.7% |
| 60-90k | 785 | 21.0% |
| 90-120k | 725 | 22.3% |
| 120-150k | 396 | 20.7% |
| 150k+ | 293 | 24.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 728 | 23.1% |
| 2022 | 628 | 22.0% |
| 2023 | 541 | 22.0% |
| 2024 | 424 | 20.3% |
| 2025 | 373 | 15.3% |
What to check before buying a 1995 Civic
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (7.9% 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+.
- Suspension (7.5% 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.
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 1995 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
78.9% of the 2,694 1995 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1995 Honda Civic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.2% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (7.9%).
Does the 1995 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.8% in the 0-30k band to 24.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,694 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.