2018 Honda Jazz — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Honda Jazz passed 94.6% of its 106,497 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.8 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 11.2%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.2%) and visibility (2.6%) 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 2,764 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 3.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 17.1% once past 120-150k — 4.3× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 3.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.2% | 3,379 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.6% | 2,732 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.7% | 1,811 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 1,488 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 165 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.1% | 150 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,764 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,500 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,263 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 758 |
| 5 | Washers | 733 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 628 |
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 | 20.0% | 21,345 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.0% | 9,625 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.5% | 4,796 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.6% | 2,722 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 915 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 478 |
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 | 73,533 | 3.9% |
| 30-60k | 28,756 | 8.2% |
| 60-90k | 3,736 | 12.2% |
| 90-120k | 409 | 16.4% |
| 120-150k | 41 | 17.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 106,444 | 5.4% |
| Hybrid | 48 | 6.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21,193 | 3.2% |
| 2022 | 21,168 | 4.1% |
| 2023 | 21,375 | 5.4% |
| 2024 | 21,226 | 7.0% |
| 2025 | 21,535 | 7.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Jazz
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.2% 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 (2.6% 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 (1.7% 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 2018 Honda Jazzs pass their MOT?
94.6% of the 106,497 2018 Honda Jazz MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Honda Jazz?
Tyres, recorded in 3.2% of tests, followed by visibility (2.6%).
Does the 2018 Jazz get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.9% in the 0-30k band to 17.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 106,497 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.