Honda S2000 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Honda S2000 appears in 28,759 MOT tests spanning model years 1999–2021, and 86.0% of them passed. That is 8.1 percentage points better than coupes & convertibles of a similar age, which fail at 22.1%. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
Best and worst S2000 years
Ranked across S2000 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2009 (91.4% pass rate); the weakest is 2000 (82.9%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — brakes (5.5%) and lighting & signalling (4.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, service brake performance and washers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 972 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.9% once past 150k — 4.1× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 17.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 14.8% in 2021 to 13.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every S2000 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 844 | 85.1% | 14.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 1,921 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Brakes |
| 2001 | 1,388 | 83.1% | 16.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 3,635 | 84.0% | 16.0% | Brakes |
| 2003 | 3,716 | 84.0% | 16.0% | Brakes |
| 2004 | 3,906 | 86.6% | 13.4% | Brakes |
| 2005 | 4,076 | 86.3% | 13.7% | Brakes |
| 2006 | 3,099 | 86.9% | 13.1% | Brakes |
| 2007 | 2,669 | 87.8% | 12.2% | Brakes |
| 2008 | 1,564 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Visibility |
| 2009 | 1,866 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.5% | 1,570 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 1,251 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.0% | 1,135 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 1,096 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 892 |
| 6 | Tyres | 2.0% | 585 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 330 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.8% | 239 |
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 | 972 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 924 |
| 3 | Washers | 697 |
| 4 | Wipers | 571 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 549 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 433 |
| 7 | Rigid brake pipes | 416 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 399 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 17.6% | 5,072 |
| 2 | Tyres | 16.5% | 4,754 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.4% | 4,420 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.2% | 1,500 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.9% | 1,416 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.8% | 1,369 |
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 | 2,289 | 5.4% |
| 30-60k | 7,321 | 9.5% |
| 60-90k | 9,129 | 14.3% |
| 90-120k | 6,473 | 18.1% |
| 120-150k | 2,603 | 19.9% |
| 150k+ | 932 | 21.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,134 | 14.8% |
| 2022 | 5,934 | 14.1% |
| 2023 | 5,827 | 14.2% |
| 2024 | 5,472 | 13.7% |
| 2025 | 5,392 | 13.0% |
What to check before buying a Honda S2000
- Brakes (5.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (4.0% 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 S2000?
86.0% of the 28,759 Honda S2000 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 14.0% fail rate, across model years 1999–2021.
What does the Honda S2000 most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 5.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (4.3%).
Which S2000 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2009 has the best pass rate at 91.4% and 2000 the weakest at 82.9%, from 1,866 and 1,921 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect S2000 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.4% for cars in the 0-30k band and 21.9% for 150k+, a 16.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 28,759 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.