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

Used car guide

2020 Honda Civic: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Honda Civic first registered in 2020: we looked at the 16,728 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

16,728MOTs of 2020 cars, done in 2023–2025
90%pass first time (all 2020 cars: 87%)
6,800typical miles a year
1.6×the usual rate for brake pads

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2020 Honda Civic?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2020 Honda Civic than on all cars registered in 2020.

  • Brake pads1.6× usual
    Honda Civic
    12.5% All 2020 cars
    7.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.8%, against 1.4% of all 2020 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.

Better than most

Brake discs: 2.7% here, against 7.4% of all 2020 cars.

Common 2020 Honda Civic MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2020 Honda Civic MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    23% 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
    14% 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
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Lights and electrics
    3% 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
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

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

  • Suspension
    2% 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.

Known faults on the 2020 Honda Civic

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2020 Honda Civic

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the brake pads? (Flagged at MOT 1.6× as often on the 2020 Honda Civic as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Honda Civic?

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

Other years

Every year of the Honda Civic compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023107Tyres 9%
20221,426Tyres 18%
20219,725Tyres 22%
201937,657Tyres 26%
201840,251Tyres 27%
201743,390Tyres 28%
201648,162Tyres 29%
201544,654Tyres 29%
201442,908Tyres 30%
201345,599Tyres 30%
201239,127Tyres 30%
201133,331Suspension 37%
201050,086Suspension 44%
200957,140Suspension 48%
200863,059Suspension 50%
200768,363Suspension 53%
200643,999Suspension 55%
200538,461Suspension 50%
200432,106Suspension 52%
200323,178Suspension 54%
200220,098Suspension 53%
200113,822Suspension 55%
20005,245Suspension 47%
19994,379Suspension 45%
19983,251Suspension 46%
19972,753Suspension 46%
19961,821Suspension 45%
19951,143Suspension 38%
1994735Suspension 33%
1993602Suspension 32%
1992569Suspension 33%
1991687Suspension 32%
1990364Suspension 30%
1989–Too few tests
1988–Too few tests
1987–Too few tests
1986–Too few tests
1985–Too few tests
1984–Too few tests
1983–Too few tests
1982–Too few tests
1979–Too few tests
1978–Too few tests
1977–Too few tests
1976–Too few tests
1975–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Honda Civic cars first registered in 2020. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score