Honda Stepwagon MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 15,178 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 25.2%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Stepwagon MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Stepwagon is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 15,178 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 26 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 74.8% and a failure rate of 25.2%, which is above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Stepwagon earns a "Very Good" reliability rating. The average Honda Stepwagon presents for MOT with approximately 95,571 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2013 models achieve the highest pass rate at 89.9%, while 1997 models have the lowest at 53.4%. This 36.5 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Stepwagon is Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, affecting 28.0% of all tests. 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. The second most common issue is Suspension at 19.0%. Tyres rounds out the top three at 15.6%. 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
Based on MOT data, 2013 models have the highest pass rate at 91.5%.
Based on 2024 MOT test results only — the most recent data available. "Built" = year of manufacture. Cars need their first MOT at 3 years old, so the newest cars shown are from ~3 years ago.
Bar chart showing pass rate by manufacture year from 2010 to 2013
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 9 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Honda Stepwagon vintages degrade over time, from age 2 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Honda Stepwagon. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 20 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Honda Stepwagon ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 4% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 8 (39.9% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
* 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 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 33.0% | 5,007 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.2% | 2,908 |
| 3 | Tyres | 15.8% | 2,404 |
| 4 | Brakes | 14.4% | 2,187 |
| 5 | Steering | 7.2% | 1,099 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.4% | 823 |
| 7 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 3.9% | 590 |
| 8 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 3.7% | 567 |
| 9 | Non-component Advisories | 2.6% | 399 |
| 10 | Driver's View Of The Road | 1.1% | 160 |
| 11 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 1.0% | 155 |
| 12 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.7% | 100 |
| 13 | Road Wheels | 0.5% | 69 |
| 14 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 0.4% | 54 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 95,571 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 3.45 | 33.0% | 5,007 |
| Suspension | 2.00 | 19.2% | 2,908 |
| Tyres | 1.66 | 15.8% | 2,404 |
| Brakes | 1.51 | 14.4% | 2,187 |
| Steering | 0.76 | 7.2% | 1,099 |
| Visibility | 0.68 | 6.5% | 983 |
| Body & Structure | 0.41 | 3.9% | 590 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.39 | 3.7% | 567 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.28 | 2.6% | 399 |
| Seat Belts | 0.11 | 1.0% | 155 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.07 | 0.7% | 100 |
| Wheels | 0.05 | 0.5% | 69 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.04 | 0.4% | 54 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Stepwagon has 95,571 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 Stepwagon has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 2.64% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Honda Stepwagon MOT Data
The Honda Stepwagon is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 15,178 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 26 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 74.8% and a failure rate of 25.2%, which is above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Stepwagon owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 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 Stepwagon is likely to perform.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.0% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 28.0% of MOT failures on the Honda Stepwagon. 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.
Suspension — 19.0% of failures
Suspension issues account for 19.0% of MOT failures on the Honda Stepwagon. 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.
Tyres — 15.6% of failures
Tyres issues account for 15.6% of MOT failures on the Honda Stepwagon. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Stepwagon?
Based on 15,178 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Stepwagon has an overall pass rate of 74.8% (25.2% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Stepwagon?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Stepwagon fails its MOT are: 1. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (28.0%), 2. Suspension (19.0%), 3. Tyres (15.6%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Stepwagon reliable?
With a 25.2% MOT failure rate, the Stepwagon is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Stepwagon?
Based on failure data, focus on: Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (28.0%); Suspension (19.0%); Tyres (15.6%). 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.