Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 12,325 tests

Pass rate drops 2.4 points across the cohorts — recent Fit examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.

Pre-2018 cohort 11,835

Pass

89.3%

Fail

6.5%

PRS

3.7%

Avg mileage at test

54,647 mi

2018–2020 cohort 198

Pass

91.9%

Fail

7.6%

PRS

0.5%

Avg mileage at test

57,655 mi

2021+ cohort 292

Pass

87.0%

Fail

8.9%

PRS

3.8%

Avg mileage at test

48,962 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

Fit: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 2,820 MOT tests, the Fit returns 85.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn steering gaiter. A missing suspension dust cover and an obligatory rear fog lamp missing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 55,888, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 10–26

Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. 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 →

10–26

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated

337 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
02

Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective

202 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
03

A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated

140 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
04

A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc

140 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
05

A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated

129 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
06

An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

126 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
07

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

112 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
08

Wiper blade defective

100 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
09

An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

83 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
10

Front or rear fog lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements

80 occurrences · 0.6% 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 5 failures

£330–£1040

If every one of this Fit'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 →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 4.9-point gap between bands means the year you buy Honda Fit has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

91.9%

2018–2020 registration

the 2018–2020 band climbs to 91.9% — a 4.9-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt, ball joint dust cover no longer prevents… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.

Band to be cautious about

87.0%

2021+ registration

On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 87.0% pass rate against a fleet average of 91.9% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: not working, inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, and ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated. Average mileage on test for this band is 48,962 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (91.9% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (87.0% pass). That's a 4.9-point spread across 292 older tests and 198 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

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

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

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Hycote

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£6.59

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Hycote Honda Milano Red Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml

£6.59

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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.

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Buying or keeping a Fit?

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 a Fit 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.