2016 Honda Civic — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 90,148 MOT tests analysed for the 2016 Honda Civic, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 89.5% was above the average for small family cars of a similar age (86.4%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 18.4% in the 150k+ group versus 5.3% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.0% | 4,517 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.1% | 3,710 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.4% | 3,041 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.3% | 2,935 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 694 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 615 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 2,743 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,421 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,950 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 1,782 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 1,777 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,141 |
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 | 24.4% | 21,995 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.3% | 14,682 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.0% | 6,351 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.9% | 3,555 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 2,840 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 1,760 |
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 | 15,724 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 40,903 | 9.1% |
| 60-90k | 22,959 | 13.6% |
| 90-120k | 7,504 | 16.4% |
| 120-150k | 2,094 | 17.5% |
| 150k+ | 944 | 18.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 51,934 | 9.1% |
| Diesel | 38,198 | 12.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,760 | 8.2% |
| 2022 | 17,900 | 9.2% |
| 2023 | 17,983 | 10.2% |
| 2024 | 18,206 | 11.8% |
| 2025 | 18,299 | 12.8% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Civic
Before buying a 2016 Honda Civic, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 5.0% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (5.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.4% 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 Civics pass their MOT?
89.5% of the 90,148 2016 Honda Civic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Honda Civic?
Tyres, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.1%).
Does the 2016 Civic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.3% in the 0-30k band to 18.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 90,148 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.