Honda Prelude MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 43 model years and 6,865 tests, the Honda Prelude passes its MOT 74.5% of the time. That is effectively the same as all cars of a similar age (24.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (11.8%) and brakes (10.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, component mounting prescribed areas and service brake performance — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 661 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.3% versus 10.4%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 31.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 26.9% in 2021 to 22.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Prelude model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 36 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Suspension |
| 1986 | 39 | 84.6% | 15.4% | Brakes |
| 1987 | 30 | 73.3% | 26.7% | Brakes |
| 1988 | 91 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Suspension |
| 1989 | 190 | 76.8% | 23.2% | Suspension |
| 1990 | 242 | 81.0% | 19.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 276 | 81.2% | 18.8% | Brakes |
| 1992 | 251 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 198 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Brakes |
| 1994 | 150 | 79.3% | 20.7% | Suspension |
| 1995 | 222 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Suspension |
| 1996 | 162 | 76.5% | 23.5% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 1,008 | 73.1% | 26.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 1,204 | 71.8% | 28.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 1,202 | 72.7% | 27.3% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 1,100 | 73.4% | 26.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 73 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 61 | 73.8% | 26.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 38 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 56 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 47 | 85.1% | 14.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 33 | 72.7% | 27.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.8% | 809 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.8% | 740 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.2% | 702 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 8.4% | 575 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 416 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.6% | 384 |
| 7 | Steering | 4.5% | 310 |
| 8 | Tyres | 3.3% | 223 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 661 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 505 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 414 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 396 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 320 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 251 |
| 7 | Wipers | 230 |
| 8 | Position lamp | 220 |
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 | 31.4% | 2,152 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.6% | 1,825 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 23.7% | 1,628 |
| 4 | Tyres | 19.6% | 1,346 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 18.1% | 1,240 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.5% | 724 |
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 | 125 | 10.4% |
| 30-60k | 685 | 19.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,715 | 21.9% |
| 90-120k | 1,887 | 27.9% |
| 120-150k | 1,304 | 27.2% |
| 150k+ | 1,146 | 30.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,680 | 26.9% |
| 2022 | 1,513 | 26.6% |
| 2023 | 1,348 | 25.5% |
| 2024 | 1,213 | 24.8% |
| 2025 | 1,111 | 22.5% |
What to check before buying a Honda Prelude
- Lighting & signalling (11.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.8% 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.
- Suspension (10.2% 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.
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 Prelude?
74.5% of the 6,865 Honda Prelude MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 25.5% fail rate, across model years 1980–2022.
What does the Honda Prelude most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.8% of tests, then brakes (10.8%).
How much does mileage affect Prelude MOT results?
Fail rates run at 10.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.3% for 150k+, a 19.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,865 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.