2016 Honda Jazz — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Honda Jazz passed 92.8% of its 98,813 recorded MOT tests. Superminis of a similar age fail 15.5% of the time, so this is 8.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.7%) and visibility (3.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 3,124 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.3% once past 150k — 4.2× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.7% | 3,643 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.2% | 3,198 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.8% | 2,797 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 1,420 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 494 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 149 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 3,124 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,896 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,060 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 978 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 871 |
| 6 | Washers | 820 |
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 | 22.2% | 21,931 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.3% | 13,143 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.9% | 4,817 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.6% | 2,583 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.3% | 2,304 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.6% | 621 |
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 | 47,547 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 41,056 | 8.3% |
| 60-90k | 8,617 | 12.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,320 | 17.2% |
| 120-150k | 200 | 15.5% |
| 150k+ | 61 | 21.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 98,631 | 7.2% |
| Hybrid | 182 | 5.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,471 | 5.0% |
| 2022 | 19,683 | 6.1% |
| 2023 | 19,755 | 7.0% |
| 2024 | 19,773 | 8.6% |
| 2025 | 20,131 | 9.4% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Jazz
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.7% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.7% 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 (3.2% 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 (2.8% 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 many 2016 Honda Jazzs pass their MOT?
92.8% of the 98,813 2016 Honda Jazz MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Honda Jazz?
Tyres, recorded in 3.7% of tests, followed by visibility (3.2%).
Does the 2016 Jazz get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 21.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 98,813 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.