Honda CR-V MOT pass rate & common failures
1,190,734 MOT tests on the Honda CR-V (1992–2025) give it an 83.0% pass rate. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 21.4% of the time, so this is 4.4pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst CR-V years
Ranked across CR-V years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2022 cars pass 96.5% of the time while 1998 cars manage 68.8%, a 27.8-point spread.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.0%) and suspension (7.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 50,646 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 4.0% in the 0-30k band and 28.6% in the 150k+ band, a 24.5-point spread — more than double.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 3.8% fail against 18.3% for petrol, a 14.5-point gap across 609,687 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every CR-V model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 31 | 67.7% | 32.3% | Suspension |
| 1997 | 847 | 69.3% | 30.7% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 3,086 | 68.8% | 31.2% | Suspension |
| 1999 | 4,362 | 69.0% | 31.0% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 6,438 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 9,896 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 25,918 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 37,972 | 69.8% | 30.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 45,379 | 70.6% | 29.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 63,972 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 68,119 | 73.4% | 26.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 97,559 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 68,197 | 77.8% | 22.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 59,799 | 80.1% | 19.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 60,620 | 83.0% | 17.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 58,949 | 84.0% | 16.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 73,071 | 85.4% | 14.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 80,924 | 87.6% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 83,330 | 88.6% | 11.3% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 79,501 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 77,416 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 64,536 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 50,365 | 93.8% | 6.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 34,993 | 95.8% | 4.2% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 17,554 | 96.0% | 4.0% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 12,214 | 95.8% | 4.2% | Visibility |
| 2022 | 5,461 | 96.5% | 3.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2023 | 186 | 96.8% | 3.2% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.0% | 118,730 |
| 2 | Suspension | 7.5% | 89,508 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 51,862 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.0% | 48,274 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 44,762 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 27,755 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.1% | 24,883 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.9% | 22,722 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 50,646 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 36,570 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 33,674 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 32,098 |
| 5 | Wipers | 31,323 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 30,319 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 25,269 |
| 8 | Ball joint | 23,003 |
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 | 24.0% | 286,260 |
| 2 | Suspension | 23.9% | 285,145 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.0% | 214,339 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 146,456 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.4% | 112,252 |
| 6 | Steering | 7.3% | 86,447 |
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 | 97,694 | 4.0% |
| 30-60k | 229,136 | 8.2% |
| 60-90k | 255,702 | 13.5% |
| 90-120k | 248,082 | 19.8% |
| 120-150k | 197,950 | 24.9% |
| 150k+ | 161,513 | 28.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 580,988 | 16.7% |
| Petrol | 564,240 | 18.3% |
| Hybrid | 45,447 | 3.8% |
| Gas/LPG | 45 | 13.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 242,783 | 16.8% |
| 2022 | 243,820 | 16.7% |
| 2023 | 240,463 | 17.1% |
| 2024 | 235,322 | 17.2% |
| 2025 | 228,346 | 17.0% |
What to check before buying a Honda CR-V
- Lighting & signalling (10.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- 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.
- Brakes (4.4% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda CR-V?
83.0% of the 1,190,734 Honda CR-V MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 17.0% fail rate, across model years 1992–2025.
What does the Honda CR-V most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.0% of tests, then suspension (7.5%).
Which CR-V years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 96.5% and 1998 the weakest at 68.8%, from 5,461 and 3,086 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect CR-V MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 28.6% for 150k+, a 24.5-point difference.
Is the hybrid or petrol CR-V more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 3.8% of the time against 18.3% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,190,734 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.