1997 Honda Civic MOT pass rate, common failures & what to check
In 2025, 59.8% of Honda Civics first used in 1997 passed their MOT first time, against 66.9% for all cars first used in 1997. Across 2,586 Civic first tests from 2023 to 2025, the most common failure areas were lamps and electrical equipment, body, chassis and structure and suspension.
This page analyses first MOT tests for Honda Civics first used in 1997 (all trims grouped): 2021 to 2025 for the pass-rate trend, and 2023 to 2025 for the failure and advisory analysis — plus what is worth checking before you buy one.
Data: DVSA anonymised MOT tests to December 2025 · Calculated by SortedCars · Updated October 2026
How the 1997 Honda Civic MOT pass rate has changed
Share of first tests passed in each year, Civics first used in 1997 against all cars first used in 1997 (any make or fuel; not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use). In 2025 the Civic figure was 7.1 points lower.
View this chart as a table
| Test year | 1997 Civic | All cars first used 1997 | Civic first tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 56.1% | 61.4% | 1,423 |
| 2022 | 56.1% | 63.3% | 1,184 |
| 2023 | 56.4% | 64.5% | 992 |
| 2024 | 59.9% | 65.4% | 841 |
| 2025 | 59.8% | 66.9% | 753 |
Common 1997 Honda Civic MOT failures
Share of the 1,073 failed first tests (2023–2025) with at least one failure in each area. A test can fail in more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
Most common failure items
| DVSA failure item | Share of failed first tests | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | 16.3% | 175 |
| Steering rack: gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | 15.1% | 162 |
| Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength | 15.0% | 161 |
| Stop lamp: not working | 10.0% | 107 |
| Position lamp: not working | 9.7% | 104 |
Item names are DVSA’s own wording. 2023–2025 combined.
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What to check on a 1997 Honda Civic before buying
The three areas where failed first tests most often had a fault, 2023–2025.
- Lamps and electrics. Ask someone to watch while you work the brake lights, indicators, sidelights, dipped and main beam, and the number-plate lamps.
- Body and underside. Worth looking underneath with a torch at the sills, floor and mountings for corrosion, and at the rubber boots on the drive shafts for splits.
- Suspension. Worth looking behind the front wheels with a torch at the coil springs, and listening for knocks over bumps on the test drive.
Common 1997 Honda Civic MOT advisories
Advisories are points the tester noted that did not fail the car. Most common on 1997 Civics, as a share of all 2,586 first tests, 2023–2025.
| DVSA advisory item | Share of first tests | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | 15.3% | 396 |
| Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive | 13.1% | 338 |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | 12.5% | 322 |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | 12.5% | 322 |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | 10.8% | 279 |
Questions about the 1997 Honda Civic MOT
What is the MOT pass rate of a 1997 Honda Civic?
In 2025, 59.8% of Civics first used in 1997 passed their MOT first time, against 66.9% for all cars first used in 1997. A car fixed during the test counts as a fail.
What does a 1997 Civic most often fail its MOT on?
Lamps and electrical equipment (in 44.4% of failed first tests, 2023–2025), body, chassis and structure (31.8%) and suspension (28.5%). The single most common item was “Drive shaft joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” (16.3%).
How often does a 1997 Honda Civic fail its MOT?
In 2025, 40.2% of first tests on Civics first used in 1997 did not pass first time: 32.5% failed, and a further 7.7% had a fault fixed during the test (counted as a fail here). Across 2023–2025, 1,073 of 2,586 first tests did not pass first time.
What are the most common 1997 Honda Civic MOT advisories?
“Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement” (on 15.3% of first tests, 2023–2025), “Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive” (13.1%), “Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material” (12.5%), “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (12.5%) and “Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing” (10.8%).
Is a 1997 Honda Civic reliable?
An MOT pass rate shows what failed at the test, not how reliable a car is. For this group of cars the first-time pass rate went from 56.1% in 2021 to 59.8% in 2025. For one particular car, its own MOT history matters more than the average.
Other cars first used in 1997
The most-tested cars from the same year. Each page uses the same method.
1997 Land Rover Defender MOT statistics · 1997 Volkswagen Transporter MOT statistics · 1997 Mazda MX-5 MOT statistics · 1997 BMW Z3 MOT statistics · 1997 BMW 3 Series MOT statistics
Checking a specific 1997 Civic?
The numbers above cover every Civic first used in 1997 and tested in Great Britain. Our free check shows the actual MOT history, mileage record and tax status of the one you are looking at.
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