2010 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Honda Civic passed 75.4% of its 112,238 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 24.3%, so the 2010 Civic sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 20.6% of all tests — 8.8 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, headlamp aim and position lamp — stop lamp alone was recorded 8,573 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 14.1% in the 0-30k band and 28.1% in the 150k+ band, a 14.0-point spread.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 10.4pp more often than hybrid ones (26.7% vs 16.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 28.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 22.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 20.6% | 23,179 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.9% | 13,339 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.6% | 6,277 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.4% | 6,081 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 4,315 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.3% | 2,583 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 8,573 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 8,501 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 8,402 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 6,082 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 5,521 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 4,132 |
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 | 28.1% | 31,588 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.7% | 31,042 |
| 3 | Brakes | 23.3% | 26,192 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 17.2% | 19,264 |
| 5 | Other defects | 14.3% | 16,101 |
| 6 | Steering | 7.2% | 8,118 |
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 | 1,697 | 14.1% |
| 30-60k | 12,855 | 17.6% |
| 60-90k | 34,197 | 23.2% |
| 90-120k | 34,890 | 26.2% |
| 120-150k | 18,931 | 28.0% |
| 150k+ | 9,613 | 28.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 85,555 | 24.1% |
| Diesel | 25,382 | 26.7% |
| Hybrid | 736 | 16.3% |
| Other | 313 | 24.0% |
| Electric | 252 | 18.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,400 | 22.8% |
| 2022 | 23,157 | 23.6% |
| 2023 | 22,798 | 24.5% |
| 2024 | 22,046 | 25.9% |
| 2025 | 20,837 | 26.6% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Civic
On a 2010 Civic, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 20.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (20.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.9% 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.
- Brakes (5.6% 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 2010 Honda Civics pass their MOT?
75.4% of the 112,238 2010 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Honda Civic?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.6% of tests, followed by suspension (11.9%).
Does the 2010 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.1% in the 0-30k band to 28.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 112,238 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.