Used car guide

2016 Honda HR-V: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2016 Honda HR-Vs, from 6,849 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

6,849MOT tests in 2025
82%pass first time (all 2016 cars: 75%)
6,700typical miles a year
2.8×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2016 Honda HR-Vs than on all cars registered in 2016.

  • Shock absorbers2.8× usual
    Honda HR-V
    12.2% All 2016 cars
    4.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.4%, against 0.9% of all 2016 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.

  • Headlights2.1× usual
    Honda HR-V
    3.5% All 2016 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.6%, against 1.4% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

By area

The share of 2016 Honda HR-V MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    27% 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.

  • Suspension
    23% 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.

  • Brakes
    20% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    7% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

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

Looking at a Honda HR-V?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20226,322Tyres 21%
20203,705Tyres 23%
20194,855Tyres 24%
20186,076Tyres 25%
20175,834Tyres 25%
20152,770Tyres 27%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2016 Honda HR-Vs registered in 2016. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score