Honda Freed MOT pass rate & common failures
The Honda Freed appears in 2,094 MOT tests spanning model years 2008–2024, and 88.8% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 22.1% of the time, so this is 10.8pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.6% of tests against 2.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, position lamp and registration plate lamp(s) — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 109 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.9% versus 13.3%.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 7.6% fail against 13.1% for petrol, a 5.5-point gap across 2,085 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 12.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Freed model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 142 | 88.0% | 12.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 270 | 84.4% | 15.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 312 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 272 | 86.8% | 13.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 407 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 194 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 137 | 95.6% | 4.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 57 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 40 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 32 | 81.3% | 18.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 39 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 65 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 43 | 90.7% | 9.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 75 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.6% | 243 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.9% | 60 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.8% | 58 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.1% | 45 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.0% | 20 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.9% | 18 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 10 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 109 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 67 |
| 3 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 51 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 48 |
| 5 | Wipers | 48 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 44 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 43 |
| 8 | Stop lamp | 34 |
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 | 12.7% | 266 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.7% | 140 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.6% | 138 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 131 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.0% | 83 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.2% | 67 |
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 | 90 | 13.3% |
| 30-60k | 598 | 7.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,009 | 11.7% |
| 90-120k | 257 | 14.4% |
| 120-150k | 99 | 15.2% |
| 150k+ | 39 | 17.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,363 | 13.1% |
| Hybrid | 722 | 7.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 122 | 9.8% |
| 2022 | 244 | 12.7% |
| 2023 | 387 | 10.8% |
| 2024 | 549 | 10.8% |
| 2025 | 792 | 11.5% |
What to check before buying a Honda Freed
- Lighting & signalling (11.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.9% 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 (2.8% 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.
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 Freed?
88.8% of the 2,094 Honda Freed MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.2% fail rate, across model years 2008–2024.
What does the Honda Freed most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.6% of tests, then visibility (2.9%).
How much does mileage affect Freed MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 17.9% for 150k+, a 4.6-point difference.
Is the hybrid or petrol Freed more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 7.6% of the time against 13.1% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,094 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.