Honda
6,193 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Nsss pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 9.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
87.1%
Pass-after-fix
3.5%
Fail
8.9%
Avg miles
27,867
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 6,151 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.8 points across the cohorts — newer Nss examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
85.5%
Fail
10.3%
PRS
3.7%
Avg mileage at test
31,592 mi
Pass
88.3%
Fail
7.8%
PRS
3.4%
Avg mileage at test
25,132 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 4,574 MOT tests, the Nss returns 88.0% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.0 mm. Tyre tread under the limit and stiff steering bearings round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 24,711, 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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Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
176 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
145 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play
58 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released
31 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
31 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
26 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released
24 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
22 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution
21 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Handlebar grip insecure to handlebar
20 occurrences · 0.3% 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
£238–£480
If every one of this Nss'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
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.8-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Honda Nss makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
88.3%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 88.3% — a 2.8-point improvement. Tests in this band average 25,132 miles — roughly 6K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: less than 1.0 mm thick, tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm — 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
85.5%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 85.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 88.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: less than 1.0 mm thick, tread depth is below minimum requirements of 1.0mm, and has a serious fluid leak. Average mileage on test for this band is 31,592 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (88.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (85.5% pass). That's a 2.8-point spread across 2,722 older tests and 3,429 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
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 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
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.
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Hycote
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Hycote Honda Milano Red Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml
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£6.59
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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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 Nss 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.
