Honda HR-V MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 29 model years and 172,340 tests, the Honda HR-V passes its MOT 91.3% of the time. That is 4.3 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 13.0%. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst HR-V years
Ranked across HR-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
Not every year is equal — 97.2% of 2022 examples pass against 71.7% of 2000 ones.
No single area dominates — tyres (3.3%) and visibility (3.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 4,645 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 3.6% in the 0-30k band and 31.1% in the 150k+ band, a 27.4-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 7.0pp more often than hybrid ones (9.7% vs 2.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.1% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every HR-V model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 1,377 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 2,665 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 3,083 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 3,150 | 75.4% | 24.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 1,726 | 73.4% | 26.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 1,779 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 1,281 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 211 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 15,239 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 37,732 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 31,498 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 32,160 | 94.3% | 5.7% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 20,569 | 95.5% | 4.5% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 11,676 | 95.7% | 4.3% | Visibility |
| 2021 | 922 | 97.4% | 2.6% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 6,781 | 97.2% | 2.8% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 379 | 97.4% | 2.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.3% | 5,665 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.3% | 5,603 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 5,111 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 4,362 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.3% | 3,901 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 1,514 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 1,160 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 724 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 4,645 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3,552 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 3,115 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 2,774 |
| 5 | Washers | 2,100 |
| 6 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,751 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 1,473 |
| 8 | Catalyst emissions | 1,178 |
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 | 21.1% | 36,364 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.6% | 21,756 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.7% | 15,070 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.6% | 13,176 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 4,819 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 4,129 |
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 | 64,556 | 3.6% |
| 30-60k | 66,179 | 8.0% |
| 60-90k | 25,413 | 13.7% |
| 90-120k | 10,253 | 21.9% |
| 120-150k | 4,144 | 27.3% |
| 150k+ | 1,745 | 31.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 117,561 | 8.7% |
| Diesel | 46,769 | 9.7% |
| Hybrid | 8,010 | 2.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 27,629 | 8.9% |
| 2022 | 31,975 | 8.5% |
| 2023 | 35,379 | 8.3% |
| 2024 | 35,375 | 9.0% |
| 2025 | 41,982 | 8.9% |
What to check before buying a Honda HR-V
- Tyres (3.3% 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 (3.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 HR-V?
91.3% of the 172,340 Honda HR-V MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 8.7% fail rate, across model years 1997–2025.
What does the Honda HR-V most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 3.3% of tests, then visibility (3.3%).
Which HR-V years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 97.2% and 2000 the weakest at 71.7%, from 6,781 and 2,665 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect HR-V MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 31.1% for 150k+, a 27.4-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel HR-V more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 2.7% of the time against 9.7% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 172,340 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.