Honda
Prelude
2,931 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where Preludes pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 5.7 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
71.8%
Pass-after-fix
3.2%
Fail
22.9%
Avg miles
107,350
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 .
The picture
Prelude: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 1,369 MOT tests, the Prelude returns 69.5% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. The strength or continuity of the load bearing and a torn steering gaiter round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 108,343, 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
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
368 occurrences · 12.6% of tests
- 02
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
191 occurrences · 6.5% of tests
- 03
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
154 occurrences · 5.3% of tests
- 04
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
119 occurrences · 4.1% of tests
- 05
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
97 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 06
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
87 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 07
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
74 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
- 08
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
70 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 09
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
64 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
- 10
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
62 occurrences · 2.1% 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
£160–£480
If every one of this Prelude'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.
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Buying or keeping a Prelude?
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 Prelude 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.