Honda Life MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 110 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 20.0%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Life MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Life is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 110 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 0 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.0% and a failure rate of 20.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Life earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Honda Life presents for MOT with approximately 50,354 miles on the clock.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Life is Tyres, affecting 15.5% of all tests. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. The second most common issue is Suspension at 9.1%. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment rounds out the top three at 8.2%. 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
* 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 | Tyres | 17.3% | 19 |
| 2 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 13.6% | 15 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.9% | 12 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.1% | 10 |
| 5 | Driver's View Of The Road | 6.4% | 7 |
| 6 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 4.5% | 5 |
| 7 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 0.9% | 1 |
| 8 | Items Not Tested | 0.9% | 1 |
| 9 | Body, Structure And General Items | 0.9% | 1 |
| 10 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 0.9% | 1 |
| 11 | Visibility | 0.9% | 1 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 50,354 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 3.43 | 17.3% | 19 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 2.71 | 13.6% | 15 |
| Brakes | 2.17 | 10.9% | 12 |
| Suspension | 1.81 | 9.1% | 10 |
| Visibility | 1.44 | 7.3% | 8 |
| Seat Belts | 0.90 | 4.5% | 5 |
| Body & Structure | 0.36 | 1.8% | 2 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.18 | 0.9% | 1 |
| Items Not Tested | 0.18 | 0.9% | 1 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Life has 50,354 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 Life has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 3.97% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Honda Life MOT Data
The Honda Life is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 110 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 0 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.0% and a failure rate of 20.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Life owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on tyres and suspension 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 Life is likely to perform.
Tyres — 15.5% of failures
Tyres issues account for 15.5% of MOT failures on the Honda Life. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Suspension — 9.1% of failures
Suspension issues account for 9.1% of MOT failures on the Honda Life. 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 — 8.2% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 8.2% of MOT failures on the Honda Life. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Life?
Based on 110 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Life has an overall pass rate of 80.0% (20.0% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Life?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Life fails its MOT are: 1. Tyres (15.5%), 2. Suspension (9.1%), 3. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (8.2%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Life reliable?
With a 20.0% MOT failure rate, the Life is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Life?
Based on failure data, focus on: Tyres (15.5%); Suspension (9.1%); Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (8.2%). 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.