Honda
7,580 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Nscs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 0.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
78.1%
Pass-after-fix
7.3%
Fail
14.0%
Avg miles
29,181
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 7,580 tests
Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old Nsc examples track each other at the test bay.
Pass
78.0%
Fail
13.8%
PRS
7.5%
Avg mileage at test
28,822 mi
Pass
78.3%
Fail
14.8%
PRS
6.4%
Avg mileage at test
30,579 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 6,676 MOT tests, the Nsc returns 79.2% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Brake pads worn below 1.0 mm and a non-functioning shock absorber round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 26,534, 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
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
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Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
198 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
167 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
Brake efficiency below minimum requirement
118 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
117 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released
106 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
106 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
Brake control has insufficient reserve travel
101 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
87 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A lamp missing or inoperative
70 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released
67 occurrences · 0.9% 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 3 failures
£148–£290
If every one of this Nsc'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
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy Honda Nsc makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
78.3%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 78.3% — a 0.3-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, has insufficient reserve travel — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
78.0%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 78.0% pass rate against a fleet average of 78.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, has a serious fluid leak, and the less effective brake control does not…. Average mileage on test for this band is 28,822 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (78.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (78.0% pass). That's a 0.3-point spread across 6,034 older tests and 1,546 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
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
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · 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
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
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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
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
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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 Nsc 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.
