Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 57 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 57.9%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 57 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 1 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 42.1% and a failure rate of 57.9%, which is significantly below the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado earns a "Very Poor" reliability rating. The average Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado presents for MOT with approximately 98,379 miles on the clock. The 1997 manufacture year performs best with a 42.1% pass rate.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado is Suspension, affecting 42.1% of all tests. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. The second most common issue is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment at 38.6%. Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions rounds out the top three at 24.6%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 87.7% | 50 |
| 2 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 68.5% | 39 |
| 3 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 31.6% | 18 |
| 4 | Brakes | 28.1% | 16 |
| 5 | Tyres | 24.6% | 14 |
| 6 | Driver's View Of The Road | 17.5% | 10 |
| 7 | Steering | 8.8% | 5 |
| 8 | Registration Plates And Vin | 7.0% | 4 |
| 9 | Items Not Tested | 3.5% | 2 |
| 10 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 3.5% | 2 |
| 11 | Body, Structure And General Items | 1.8% | 1 |
| 12 | Non-component Advisories | 1.8% | 1 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 98,379 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 8.92 | 87.7% | 50 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 6.96 | 68.5% | 39 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 3.21 | 31.6% | 18 |
| Brakes | 2.85 | 28.1% | 16 |
| Tyres | 2.50 | 24.6% | 14 |
| Visibility | 1.78 | 17.5% | 10 |
| Steering | 0.89 | 8.8% | 5 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.71 | 7.0% | 4 |
| Body & Structure | 0.54 | 5.3% | 3 |
| Items Not Tested | 0.36 | 3.5% | 2 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.18 | 1.8% | 1 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado has 98,379 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 5.89% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado MOT Data
The Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 57 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 1 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 42.1% and a failure rate of 57.9%, which is significantly below the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado owners, these results suggest above-average failure risk — thorough pre-MOT checks are recommended. Focus your pre-MOT checks on suspension and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Civic 1.4i Tornado is likely to perform.
Suspension — 42.1% of failures
Suspension issues account for 42.1% of MOT failures on the Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.6% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 38.6% of MOT failures on the Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions — 24.6% of failures
Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions issues account for 24.6% of MOT failures on the Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado. Emissions failures occur when exhaust gases exceed legal limits for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), or particulate matter (diesel). Common causes include faulty oxygen sensors, clogged catalytic converters, or DPF issues on diesel vehicles. Typical repair costs: £100–1,000+. Pre-MOT check: If the engine management light is on, get it diagnosed before the MOT. For diesel cars, ensure the DPF has completed a regeneration cycle. Regular servicing and using premium fuel before the test can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado?
Based on 57 (based on limited data) MOT tests in our database, the Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado has an overall pass rate of 42.1% (57.9% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado fails its MOT are: 1. Suspension (42.1%), 2. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (38.6%), 3. Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions (24.6%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado reliable?
With a 57.9% MOT failure rate, the Civic 1.4i Tornado is less reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Civic 1.4i Tornado?
Based on failure data, focus on: Suspension (42.1%); Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (38.6%); Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions (24.6%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.