Honda
Accord
50,339 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Accords pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.5 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
69.0%
Pass-after-fix
6.1%
Fail
23.9%
Avg miles
125,927
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
Generations on file · 4
Honda Accord · UK market
1993–1998
1998–2003
2003–2008
2008–2015
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
Accord at 68.4%: headlamp failures drive a below-average result on a high-mileage executive
The Honda Accord posts 68.4% first-time pass from 38,512 tests at an average presenting mileage of 124,654 — the highest average mileage of any car in this batch. Headlamp lens and reflector defects top the failure list, followed by rear plate lamp faults and headlamp aim. The Accord's Xenon headlamps — standard on UK-spec models from the 8th generation — deteriorate over time; the UV-yellowing of the polycarbonate lens is an MOT fail at this age and mileage. Brake pipe corrosion also appears in the top failures. At 68.4% and 124,000 average miles, the Accord needs pre-test headlamp attention as a priority: lens restoration or replacement and headlamp aim calibration after any suspension work.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 24–34
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
24–34
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
3,334 occurrences · 6.6% of tests
- 02
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
2,316 occurrences · 4.6% of tests
- 03
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
2,231 occurrences · 4.4% of tests
- 04
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
2,095 occurrences · 4.2% of tests
- 05
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
1,888 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 06
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,713 occurrences · 3.4% of tests
- 07
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,539 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 08
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
1,193 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 09
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,014 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 10
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
975 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures
£108–£435
If every one of this Accord's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Draper
Draper Drain Plug Key, 3/8 Square x 3/8 Sq. Dr.
£15.39
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Honda Nighthawk Black Pearlescent Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Honda Milano Red Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Hycote
Hycote Honda Satin Silver Metallic Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
£6.59
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
Reliable engines and gearbox, spacious interior, good build quality.
Buying or keeping an Accord?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own an Accord and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.