2020 Honda Civic MOT pass rate, common failures & what to check

In 2025, 87.0% of Honda Civics first used in 2020 passed their MOT first time, against 86.0% for all cars first used in 2020. Across 16,924 Civic first tests from 2023 to 2025, the most common failure areas were tyres, visibility (wipers, washers and windscreen) and brakes.

This page analyses first MOT tests for Honda Civics first used in 2020 (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

Passed first time, 2025
87.0%
of 5,552 first tests; all cars first used in 2020: 86.0%. Fixed-at-the-test counts as a fail
Tests analysed
16,924
first tests, 2023–2025; 5,552 in 2025
Clean pass, 2025
57.2%
of 5,552 first tests in 2025, passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded
Typical mileage, tested in 2025
34,500
middle half: 24,000–46,500 miles; all cars first used in 2020: 37,500

How the 2020 Honda Civic MOT pass rate has changed

Share of first tests passed in each year, Civics first used in 2020 against all cars first used in 2020 (any make or fuel; not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use). In 2025 the Civic figure was 1.0 points higher.

2020 CivicAll cars first used in 2020
80%90%100%20212022202320242025Test year (first tests)All cars first used in 2020, test year 2021: 84.7%All cars first used in 2020, test year 2022: 90.2%All cars first used in 2020, test year 2023: 87.7%All cars first used in 2020, test year 2024: 86.9%All cars first used in 2020, test year 2025: 86%2020 Civic, test year 2023: 92.2%2020 Civic, test year 2024: 89.5%2020 Civic, test year 2025: 87%87%86%
View this chart as a table
Test year2020 CivicAll cars first used 2020Civic first tests
2021fewer than 500 tests84.7%71
2022fewer than 500 tests90.2%303
202392.2%87.7%5,736
202489.5%86.9%5,636
202587.0%86.0%5,552

Common 2020 Honda Civic MOT failures

Share of the 1,759 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%.

Tyres34.8%
Visibility33.3%
Brakes21.4%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment17.4%
Noise, emissions and leaks3.7%
Suspension2.0%

Most common failure items

DVSA failure itemShare of failed first testsTests
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively20.8%365
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick16.4%289
Tread depth: below requirements of 1.6mm14.8%260
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords8.5%150
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid8.1%143

Item names are DVSA’s own wording. 2023–2025 combined.

What to check on a 2020 Honda Civic before buying

The three areas where failed first tests most often had a fault, 2023–2025.

  1. Tyres. Worth checking the tread depth across the whole width of each tyre, and the sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
  2. Wipers and windscreen. Worth checking that the wipers clear the screen cleanly, that the washers work, and that there are no chips or cracks in the driver’s view.
  3. Brakes. Worth looking at the discs and pads through the wheel spokes for scoring and a worn lip, and noticing on the test drive whether the car pulls to one side or the pedal feels long.

Common 2020 Honda Civic MOT advisories

Advisories are points the tester noted that did not fail the car. Most common on 2020 Civics, as a share of all 16,924 first tests, 2023–2025.

DVSA advisory itemShare of first testsTests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge12.7%2,155
Brake pads: wearing thin11.5%1,948
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing4.9%821
Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords2.6%439
Nail in tyre2.2%371

Questions about the 2020 Honda Civic MOT

What is the MOT pass rate of a 2020 Honda Civic?

In 2025, 87.0% of Civics first used in 2020 passed their MOT first time, against 86.0% for all cars first used in 2020. A car fixed during the test counts as a fail.

What does a 2020 Civic most often fail its MOT on?

Tyres (in 34.8% of failed first tests, 2023–2025), visibility (wipers, washers and windscreen) (33.3%) and brakes (21.4%). The single most common item was “Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively” (20.8%).

How often does a 2020 Honda Civic fail its MOT?

In 2025, 13.0% of first tests on Civics first used in 2020 did not pass first time: 9.9% failed, and a further 3.1% had a fault fixed during the test (counted as a fail here). Across 2023–2025, 1,759 of 16,924 first tests did not pass first time.

What are the most common 2020 Honda Civic MOT advisories?

“Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (on 12.7% of first tests, 2023–2025), “Brake pads: wearing thin” (11.5%), “Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing” (4.9%), “Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords” (2.6%) and “Nail in tyre” (2.2%).

Is a 2020 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 92.2% in 2023 to 87.0% in 2025. For one particular car, its own MOT history matters more than the average.

Other cars first used in 2020

The most-tested cars from the same year. Each page uses the same method.

2020 Ford Fiesta MOT statistics · 2020 Vauxhall Corsa MOT statistics · 2020 Volkswagen Golf MOT statistics · 2020 Ford Focus MOT statistics · 2020 MINI Hatch MOT statistics

How the 2020 Honda Civic MOT data is calculated

Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test data for Great Britain, 2021–2025. “2020 Civic” means a Honda Civic whose date of first use falls in 2020 (69, 20 and 70 plates), all trims grouped. Class 4 vehicles, first tests only — retests are not counted. Pass rate = passed ÷ all first tests; a car with a fault fixed during the test (PRS) counts as a fail. Our national first-test pass rate matches DVSA’s published figure (table DVSA/MOT/01) to within 0.04 points in every year. Clean pass = passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded. Mileage is the reading recorded at the test. Comparisons are with all cars first used in 2020, any make or fuel, and are not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use. Failure and advisory item names are DVSA’s own wording. No figure is shown for fewer than 500 tests; an item is shown only if it appears on at least 50 tests and 1% of the base. Pass rates describe a group of cars, not one car: a well-kept example can pass and a neglected one can fail. This page is general information, not advice about any particular vehicle; always have a used car inspected before you buy. SortedCars is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. You can check any car’s MOT history free on the official service: gov.uk/check-mot-history. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.