Honda Civic Type R — MOT pass rate & failures

The Honda Civic Type R recorded a 93.9% MOT pass rate across 1,012 tests in this dataset (model years 1998–2023), with tyres, visibility and brakes its most common failure areas. Its 6.1% fail rate is lower than the 20.8% average across all Honda Civic versions.

Pass rate

1,012

MOT tests analysed

6.1%

Fail rate

better than

vs small family cars of similar age

1998–2023

Model years

How it compares

Fail rate for the Civic Type R against the whole Civic range, its segment and the national average for cars of a similar age.

By model year

Honda Civic Type R MOT results by model year
Year	Tests	Pass rate	Fail rate
2020	302	91.7%	8.3%
2021	592	94.8%	5.2%

Top failure categories

Most common MOT failure areas — Honda Civic Type R
#	Category	% of tests affected	Tests
1	Tyres	3.6%	36
2	Visibility	2.1%	21
3	Brakes	1.4%	14
4	Lighting & signalling	0.9%	9
5	Emissions & environmental	0.5%	5
6	Other defects	0.4%	4
7	Suspension	0.1%	1
8	Steering	0.1%	1

Percentage of tests with at least one failure recorded in each category, across all model years.

Most common specific failures

The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.

Most frequently recorded failure items — Honda Civic Type R
#	Failure item	Times recorded
1	Wipers	16
2	Brake pads	10
3	Tread depth	8
4	Washers	8
5	Registration plates	6
6	Headlamp aim	5

Top advisory categories

Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.

Most common MOT advisories — Honda Civic Type R
#	Category	% of tests with advisory	Tests
1	Tyres	16.4%	166
2	Brakes	9.2%	93
3	Other defects	4.2%	42
4	Visibility	2.4%	24
5	Suspension	0.9%	9
6	Lighting & signalling	0.8%	8

Failure rate by mileage

Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.

MOT fail rate by recorded mileage band.

Fail rate by recorded mileage — Honda Civic Type R
Mileage band	Tests	Fail rate
0-30k	773	5.2%
30-60k	179	10.6%
60-90k	32	3.1%

Failure rate by age

How the Civic Type R's MOT fail rate climbs as the cars get older.

Trend over time

Fail rate by dataset year — Honda Civic Type R
Dataset year	Tests	Fail rate
2023	128	7.8%
2024	402	6.2%
2025	470	5.7%

What to check before buying a Honda Civic Type R

Focus on the areas it most often fails on — and remember MOT data covers testable defects only, not engine or gearbox health.

Tyres (3.6% 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.
Visibility (2.1% 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.
Brakes (1.4% 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 reliable is the Honda Civic Type R at MOT time?

93.9% of the 1,012 Honda Civic Type R MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.1% fail rate, better than the 20.8% average across all Civic versions.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Honda Civic Type R?

Tyres, recorded in 3.6% of tests, followed by visibility (2.1%).

Does the Civic Type R get worse with mileage?

Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.2% in the 0-30k band to 3.1% in the 60-90k band.

Methodology & source. Based on 1,012 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-06. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.