2005 Honda FR-V MOT pass rate, common failures & what to check

In 2025, 50.3% of Honda FR-Vs first used in 2005 passed their MOT first time, against 57.6% for all cars first used in 2005. Across 3,040 FR-V first tests from 2023 to 2025, the most common failure areas were lamps and electrical equipment, suspension and noise, emissions and leaks.

This page analyses first MOT tests for Honda FR-Vs first used in 2005 (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
50.3%
of 761 first tests; all cars first used in 2005: 57.6%. Fixed-at-the-test counts as a fail
Tests analysed
3,040
first tests, 2023–2025; 761 in 2025
Clean pass, 2025
13.8%
of 761 first tests in 2025, passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded
Typical mileage, tested in 2025
132,500
middle half: 108,500–160,500 miles; all cars first used in 2005: 105,500

How the 2005 Honda FR-V MOT pass rate has changed

Share of first tests passed in each year, FR-Vs first used in 2005 against all cars first used in 2005 (any make or fuel; not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use). In 2025 the FR-V figure was 7.3 points lower.

2005 FR-VAll cars first used in 2005
40%50%60%20212022202320242025Test year (first tests)All cars first used in 2005, test year 2021: 54.6%All cars first used in 2005, test year 2022: 55.7%All cars first used in 2005, test year 2023: 56.3%All cars first used in 2005, test year 2024: 56.5%All cars first used in 2005, test year 2025: 57.6%2005 FR-V, test year 2021: 51.7%2005 FR-V, test year 2022: 51.3%2005 FR-V, test year 2023: 53.3%2005 FR-V, test year 2024: 49.8%2005 FR-V, test year 2025: 50.3%57.6%50.3%
View this chart as a table
Test year2005 FR-VAll cars first used 2005FR-V first tests
202151.7%54.6%2,005
202251.3%55.7%1,631
202353.3%56.3%1,286
202449.8%56.5%993
202550.3%57.6%761

Common 2005 Honda FR-V MOT failures

Share of the 1,476 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%.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment51.4%
Suspension46.5%
Noise, emissions and leaks25.4%
Brakes22.3%
Body, chassis, structure20.8%
Tyres19.6%
Visibility15.2%
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems8.1%

Most common failure items

DVSA failure itemShare of failed first testsTests
Position lamp: not working21.5%318
Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength16.1%237
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction16.1%237
Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn9.3%137
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect9.2%136

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

Typical repair costs for common MOT failures

Typical UK garage prices for the job, not for an FR-V in particular, and not a quote.

Failure itemTypical jobTypical UK priceUsual range
Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively wornSuspension arm replacement£150£120–£180

From published UK repair-cost guides, checked September 2026. Only jobs with a published typical price are shown.

What to check on a 2005 Honda FR-V before buying

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

  1. Lamps and electrics. Ask someone to watch while you work the brake lights, indicators, sidelights, dipped and main beam, and the number-plate lamps.
  2. Suspension. Worth looking behind the front wheels with a torch at the coil springs, and listening for knocks over bumps on the test drive.
  3. Engine and emissions. Worth checking that the engine warning light goes out after starting, looking for oil leaks under the car, and noticing any smoke from the exhaust.

Common 2005 Honda FR-V MOT advisories

Advisories are points the tester noted that did not fail the car. Most common on 2005 FR-Vs, as a share of all 3,040 first tests, 2023–2025.

DVSA advisory itemShare of first testsTests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge22.5%685
Coil spring: corroded20.5%624
Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement17.9%545
Linkage ball joints: ball joint has slight play11.8%358
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened11.1%338

Questions about the 2005 Honda FR-V MOT

What is the MOT pass rate of a 2005 Honda FR-V?

In 2025, 50.3% of FR-Vs first used in 2005 passed their MOT first time, against 57.6% for all cars first used in 2005. A car fixed during the test counts as a fail.

What does a 2005 FR-V most often fail its MOT on?

Lamps and electrical equipment (in 51.4% of failed first tests, 2023–2025), suspension (46.5%) and noise, emissions and leaks (25.4%). The single most common item was “Position lamp: not working” (21.5%).

How often does a 2005 Honda FR-V fail its MOT?

In 2025, 49.7% of first tests on FR-Vs first used in 2005 did not pass first time: 38.1% failed, and a further 11.6% had a fault fixed during the test (counted as a fail here). Across 2023–2025, 1,476 of 3,040 first tests did not pass first time.

What are the most common 2005 Honda FR-V MOT advisories?

“Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (on 22.5% of first tests, 2023–2025), “Coil spring: corroded” (20.5%), “Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement” (17.9%), “Linkage ball joints: ball joint has slight play” (11.8%) and “Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened” (11.1%).

Is a 2005 Honda FR-V 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 51.7% in 2021 to 50.3% in 2025. For one particular car, its own MOT history matters more than the average.

Other cars first used in 2005

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

2005 Ford Fiesta MOT statistics · 2005 MINI Hatch MOT statistics · 2005 Ford Focus MOT statistics · 2005 Volkswagen Golf MOT statistics · 2005 Toyota Yaris MOT statistics

How the 2005 Honda FR-V 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. “2005 FR-V” means a Honda FR-V whose date of first use falls in 2005 (54, 05 and 55 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 2005, 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. Repair prices are typical UK prices for the job from published UK repair-cost guides, checked September 2026 — not for this model, and not a quote. 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.