Honda Unclassified MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 136,589 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 22.0%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Unclassified MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Unclassified is a well-known vehicle in the UK, with 136,589 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 60 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 78.0% and a failure rate of 22.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Unclassified earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Honda Unclassified presents for MOT with approximately 35,814 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 1962 models achieve the highest pass rate at 96.3%, while 1992 models have the lowest at 72.6%. This 23.7 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Unclassified is Motorcycle lighting and signalling, affecting 8.5% of all tests. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. The second most common issue is Motorcycle brakes at 7.7%. Motorcycle steering and suspension rounds out the top three at 5.8%. 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, 1997 models have the highest pass rate at 85.7%.
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 1996 to 1998
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 39 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Honda Unclassified vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 46 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 Unclassified. 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 Unclassified ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 19% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 14 (27.8% 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 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 10.6% | 14,412 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Brakes | 9.2% | 12,551 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 7.4% | 10,047 |
| 4 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 5.1% | 6,990 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.8% | 6,563 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 4.6% | 6,308 |
| 7 | Brakes | 4.4% | 5,944 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 3.2% | 4,418 |
| 9 | Tyres | 2.8% | 3,795 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Drive System | 2.3% | 3,187 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 1.8% | 2,503 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 1.6% | 2,148 |
| 13 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 1.3% | 1,820 |
| 14 | Steering | 1.3% | 1,803 |
| 15 | Driver's View Of The Road | 1.2% | 1,705 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 35,814 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 2.95 | 10.6% | 14,412 |
| Motorcycle brakes | 2.57 | 9.2% | 12,551 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 2.05 | 7.4% | 10,047 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 1.43 | 5.1% | 6,990 |
| Suspension | 1.34 | 4.8% | 6,563 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 1.29 | 4.6% | 6,308 |
| Brakes | 1.22 | 4.4% | 5,944 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 0.90 | 3.2% | 4,418 |
| Tyres | 0.78 | 2.8% | 3,795 |
| Motorcycle drive system | 0.65 | 2.3% | 3,187 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.51 | 1.8% | 2,503 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.44 | 1.6% | 2,148 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.37 | 1.3% | 1,820 |
| Steering | 0.37 | 1.3% | 1,803 |
| Visibility | 0.35 | 1.2% | 1,705 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Unclassified has 35,814 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 Unclassified has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 6.14% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Honda Unclassified MOT Data
The Honda Unclassified is a well-known vehicle in the UK, with 136,589 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 60 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 78.0% and a failure rate of 22.0%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Unclassified owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle lighting and signalling and motorcycle brakes 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 Unclassified is likely to perform.
Motorcycle lighting and signalling — 8.5% of failures
Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues account for 8.5% of MOT failures on the Honda Unclassified. Motorcycle lighting and signalling issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.
Motorcycle brakes — 7.7% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 7.7% of MOT failures on the Honda Unclassified. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Motorcycle steering and suspension — 5.8% of failures
Motorcycle steering and suspension issues account for 5.8% of MOT failures on the Honda Unclassified. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Unclassified?
Based on 136,589 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Unclassified has an overall pass rate of 78.0% (22.0% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Unclassified?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Unclassified fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle lighting and signalling (8.5%), 2. Motorcycle brakes (7.7%), 3. Motorcycle steering and suspension (5.8%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Unclassified reliable?
With a 22.0% MOT failure rate, the Unclassified is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Unclassified?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle lighting and signalling (8.5%); Motorcycle brakes (7.7%); Motorcycle steering and suspension (5.8%). 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.