Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 5,026 tests

Pass rate climbs 4.4 points across the cohorts — newer Msx examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 3,100

Pass

82.6%

Fail

9.1%

PRS

7.9%

Avg mileage at test

9,446 mi

2018–2020 cohort 1,772

Pass

85.6%

Fail

6.9%

PRS

6.9%

Avg mileage at test

5,849 mi

2021+ cohort 154

Pass

87.0%

Fail

1.9%

PRS

11.0%

Avg mileage at test

7,778 mi

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

The picture

Msx: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 3,636 MOT tests, the Msx returns 85.2% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a missing rear reflector. A non-conforming number plate and transmission belt, chain round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 7,636, 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

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Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

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

01

Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear

58 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
02

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

41 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
03

Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements

39 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
04

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

38 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
05

A transmission belt, chain, sprocket or pulley excessively loose or worn

36 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
06

A footrest missing or insecure

29 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
07

A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

29 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
08

The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

25 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
09

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps

24 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
10

Exhaust noise levels in excess of those permitted

23 occurrences · 0.5% 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 2 failures

£75–£130

If every one of this Msx'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.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 4.4-point gap between bands means the year you buy Honda Msx has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

87.0%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 87.0% — a 4.4-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: excessively loose, excessively binding — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.

Band to be cautious about

82.6%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 82.6% pass rate against a fleet average of 87.0% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: missing, obviously incorrectly positioned, and missing. Average mileage on test for this band is 9,446 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (87.0% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (82.6% pass). That's a 4.4-point spread across 3,100 older tests and 154 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

MOT-spec replacement number plate

Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.

Search Amazon UK

Item 02 · Amazon UK

Digital tyre-tread depth gauge

Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.

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

Hycote Honda Nighthawk Black Pearlescent Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml

£6.59

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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.

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Buying or keeping a Msx?

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 Msx 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.