1989 Honda Civic — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

93.8%

Latest Pass Rate

2,576

Total Tests (All Years)

87,600 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Best vintage for Civic

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1989 Honda Civic as it ages.

20 yrs45.8%

→ ↓2.8%

21 yrs43.0%

→ ↑5.0%

22 yrs48.0%

→ ↑1.6%

23 yrs49.6%

→ ↓0.2%

24 yrs49.4%

→ ↓0.8%

25 yrs48.6%

→ ↑4.7%

26 yrs53.3%

→ ↑4.4%

27 yrs57.7%

→ ↑6.5%

28 yrs64.2%

→ ↓1.2%

29 yrs63.0%

→ ↓14.0%

30 yrs49.0%

→ ↑22.7%

31 yrs71.7%

→ ↓17.5%

32 yrs54.2%

→ ↑20.8%

33 yrs75.0%

→ ↓7.5%

34 yrs67.5%

→ ↑26.3%

35 yrs93.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	45.8%	625
21 yrs	43.0%	433
22 yrs	48.0%	327
23 yrs	49.6%	240
24 yrs	49.4%	180
25 yrs	48.6%	140
26 yrs	53.3%	105
27 yrs	57.7%	97
28 yrs	64.2%	81
29 yrs	63.0%	54
30 yrs	49.0%	51
31 yrs	71.7%	46
32 yrs	54.2%	48
33 yrs	75.0%	44
34 yrs	67.5%	40
35 yrs	93.8%	65

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 Honda Civic pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	93.8%	65
2023 (34 yrs)	67.5%	40
2022 (33 yrs)	75%	44
2021 (32 yrs)	54.2%	48
2020 (31 yrs)	71.7%	46
2019 (30 yrs)	49%	51
2018 (29 yrs)	63%	54
2017 (28 yrs)	64.2%	81
2016 (27 yrs)	57.7%	97
2015 (26 yrs)	53.3%	105
2014 (25 yrs)	48.6%	140
2013 (24 yrs)	49.4%	180
2012 (23 yrs)	49.6%	240
2011 (22 yrs)	48%	327
2010 (21 yrs)	43%	433
2009 (20 yrs)	45.8%	625

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

45.8%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 625Avg Mileage 90,810Top Failure Suspension — 38.6%

2010High Fail Rate

43.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 433Avg Mileage 90,447Top Failure Suspension — 42.3%

2011High Fail Rate

48.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 327Avg Mileage 91,130Top Failure Suspension — 34.3%

2012High Fail Rate

49.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 240Avg Mileage 91,303Top Failure Suspension — 34.2%

2013High Fail Rate

49.4%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 180Avg Mileage 87,462Top Failure Suspension — 85.6%

2014High Fail Rate

48.6%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 140Avg Mileage 88,366Top Failure Suspension — 82.9%

2015High Fail Rate

53.3%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 105Avg Mileage 86,870Top Failure Suspension — 66.7%

2016High Fail Rate

57.7%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 97Avg Mileage 87,191Top Failure Suspension — 71.1%

2017High Fail Rate

64.2%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 81Avg Mileage 88,642Top Failure Brakes — 44.4%

2018High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 54Avg Mileage 85,065Top Failure Suspension — 81.5%

2019High Fail Rate

49.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 51Avg Mileage 89,475Top Failure Suspension — 74.5%

2020

71.7%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 46Avg Mileage 85,472Top Failure Suspension — 43.5%

2021High Fail Rate

54.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 48Avg Mileage 89,449Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.9%

2022

75.0%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 44Avg Mileage 94,786Top Failure Suspension — 36.4%

2023

67.5%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 40Avg Mileage 85,568Top Failure Suspension — 30.0%

2024

93.8%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 65Avg Mileage 87,600Top Failure Suspension — 15.4%

MOT results for 1989 Honda Civic by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	45.8%	625	90,810	Suspension — 38.6%
2010	21	43.0%	433	90,447	Suspension — 42.3%
2011	22	48.0%	327	91,130	Suspension — 34.3%
2012	23	49.6%	240	91,303	Suspension — 34.2%
2013	24	49.4%	180	87,462	Suspension — 85.6%
2014	25	48.6%	140	88,366	Suspension — 82.9%
2015	26	53.3%	105	86,870	Suspension — 66.7%
2016	27	57.7%	97	87,191	Suspension — 71.1%
2017	28	64.2%	81	88,642	Brakes — 44.4%
2018	29	63.0%	54	85,065	Suspension — 81.5%
2019	30	49.0%	51	89,475	Suspension — 74.5%
2020	31	71.7%	46	85,472	Suspension — 43.5%
2021	32	54.2%	48	89,449	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 47.9%
2022	33	75.0%	44	94,786	Suspension — 36.4%
2023	34	67.5%	40	85,568	Suspension — 30.0%
2024	35	93.8%	65	87,600	Suspension — 15.4%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 Honda Civic, with age trends.

Suspension

51.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

32.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

32.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

28.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

22.3%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	38.6% (20 yrs)	15.4% (35 yrs)	-23.2%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Honda Civic page →

About This Data

This page shows how Honda Civic cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,576 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.