Part of the Honda Civic Mk10 (2017–2022) guide: best and worst years compared.

Used car guide

2021 Honda Civic: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2021 Honda Civics, from 4,879 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

4,879MOT tests in 2025
88%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
7,000typical miles a year
2×the usual rate for brake pads

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2021 Honda Civics than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Brake pads2× usual
    Honda Civic
    13.6% All 2021 cars
    6.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2%, against 1.2% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £75–£175 (one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.

  • Shock absorbers2.5× usual
    Honda Civic
    4.3% All 2021 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.4%, against 0.3% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Wipers1.7× usual
    Honda Civic
    6.6% All 2021 cars
    3.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.6%, against 2.4% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

Better than most

Brake discs: 3.1% here, against 7.1% of all 2021 cars.

By area

The share of 2021 Honda Civic MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    24% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    15% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    9% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Suspension
    5% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    2% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    1% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20221,408Tyres 18%
20205,557Tyres 25%
201912,616Tyres 27%
201813,501Tyres 26%
201714,519Tyres 28%
201616,113Tyres 29%
201514,922Tyres 30%
201414,323Tyres 31%
201315,114Tyres 31%
201212,861Tyres 31%
201110,851Suspension 42%
201015,916Suspension 49%
200917,540Suspension 52%
200818,395Suspension 53%
200719,084Suspension 56%
200611,633Suspension 59%
200511,046Suspension 52%
20049,115Suspension 53%
20036,408Suspension 56%
20025,574Suspension 54%
20013,779Suspension 55%
20001,474Suspension 46%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2021 Honda Civics registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score