2021 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
10,544 MOT tests on the 2021 Honda Civic are in this dataset, and 93.6% of them passed. That is 1.9 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.3%. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (3.9%) and tyres (3.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 394 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 15.0% once past 90-120k — 3.3× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 15.0% in 2021 to 7.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 3.9% | 409 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.1% | 326 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.7% | 174 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 172 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.3% | 33 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.1% | 13 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 394 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 205 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 192 |
| 4 | Washers | 128 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 116 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 35 |
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 | 20.1% | 2,114 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.0% | 1,268 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.0% | 523 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.2% | 334 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 293 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.3% | 36 |
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 | 7,012 | 4.5% |
| 30-60k | 3,225 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 250 | 12.0% |
| 90-120k | 40 | 15.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 60 | 15.0% |
| 2023 | 201 | 3.0% |
| 2024 | 5,036 | 5.1% |
| 2025 | 5,224 | 7.6% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Civic
On a 2021 Civic, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (3.9% 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 (3.1% 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 (1.7% 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 Civics pass their MOT?
93.6% of the 10,544 2021 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Honda Civic?
Visibility, recorded in 3.9% of tests, followed by tyres (3.1%).
Does the 2021 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.5% in the 0-30k band to 15.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,544 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.