Honda Legend MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 33 model years and 3,430 tests, the Honda Legend passes its MOT 81.7% of the time. That is 7.6 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 25.9%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.2%) and suspension (7.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, ball joint and wipers — service brake performance alone was recorded 129 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Legend fails 21.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 19.4% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.2 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 26.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Legend model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 49 | 77.5% | 22.4% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 72 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Suspension |
| 1994 | 96 | 77.1% | 22.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 55 | 76.4% | 23.6% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 125 | 79.2% | 20.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 99 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 157 | 79.0% | 21.0% | Brakes |
| 1999 | 205 | 76.6% | 23.4% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 141 | 83.0% | 17.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 116 | 73.3% | 26.7% | Brakes |
| 2002 | 78 | 82.0% | 17.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 447 | 84.1% | 15.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 629 | 84.3% | 15.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 606 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 377 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 281 |
| 2 | Suspension | 7.3% | 250 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.9% | 236 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.2% | 179 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.5% | 120 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.4% | 83 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 75 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.8% | 63 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 129 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 127 |
| 3 | Wipers | 125 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 120 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 111 |
| 6 | Washers | 79 |
| 7 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 72 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 70 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 26.2% | 899 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.9% | 819 |
| 3 | Tyres | 20.4% | 699 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.4% | 322 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.3% | 284 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.8% | 266 |
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 | 158 | 21.5% |
| 30-60k | 399 | 11.3% |
| 60-90k | 925 | 16.2% |
| 90-120k | 968 | 19.1% |
| 120-150k | 547 | 22.7% |
| 150k+ | 310 | 19.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 807 | 16.6% |
| 2022 | 742 | 18.2% |
| 2023 | 702 | 19.5% |
| 2024 | 632 | 19.6% |
| 2025 | 547 | 17.9% |
What to check before buying a Honda Legend
- Lighting & signalling (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (7.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (6.9% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Legend?
81.7% of the 3,430 Honda Legend MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 18.3% fail rate, across model years 1987–2019.
What does the Honda Legend most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.2% of tests, then suspension (7.3%).
How much does mileage affect Legend MOT results?
Fail rates run at 21.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 19.4% for 150k+, a 2.2-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,430 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.