2012 Honda Jazz — MOT failures & pass rate
121,742 MOT tests on the 2012 Honda Jazz are in this dataset, and 86.9% of them passed. That is 9.6 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 22.7%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.5%) and brakes (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, wipers and brake pads — position lamp alone was recorded 4,554 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.6% in the 0-30k band and 23.2% in the 150k+ band, a 15.6-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — hybrid fails 12.1% of the time against 13.2% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 7,938 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.6% | 5,604 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.1% | 4,943 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 4,588 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.7% | 4,468 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.6% | 756 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 4,554 |
| 2 | Wipers | 4,111 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 3,486 |
| 4 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 2,294 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 2,153 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 1,936 |
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 | 23.7% | 28,854 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.9% | 26,672 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.4% | 12,666 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.1% | 8,691 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 6,961 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.0% | 4,912 |
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 | 15,513 | 7.6% |
| 30-60k | 51,953 | 11.2% |
| 60-90k | 36,873 | 15.3% |
| 90-120k | 12,895 | 18.3% |
| 120-150k | 3,416 | 21.1% |
| 150k+ | 1,061 | 23.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 115,044 | 13.2% |
| Hybrid | 4,814 | 12.1% |
| Other | 1,128 | 12.8% |
| Electric | 723 | 12.4% |
| Diesel | 33 | 24.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,359 | 10.4% |
| 2022 | 23,732 | 11.7% |
| 2023 | 24,438 | 12.9% |
| 2024 | 25,058 | 15.0% |
| 2025 | 25,155 | 15.4% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Jazz
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.6% 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.
- Visibility (4.1% 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.
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 2012 Honda Jazzs pass their MOT?
86.9% of the 121,742 2012 Honda Jazz MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Honda Jazz?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.5% of tests, followed by brakes (4.6%).
Does the 2012 Jazz get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.6% in the 0-30k band to 23.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 121,742 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.