Honda Civic vs Honda S: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Honda Civic
74%
MOT pass rate · 701,208 vehicles
Honda S
85%
MOT pass rate · 179 vehicles
More reliable
Verdict: On MOT pass rate, the Honda S is the more reliable of the two — 85% pass first time versus 74%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Head to head
| Measure | Honda Civic | Honda S |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 74% | 85% ✓ |
| MOT failure rate | 26% | 15% ✓ |
| Faults & advisories per test | 2.0 | 0.8 ✓ |
| Dangerous-fault share | 2% | 1% ✓ |
| Average mileage | 110,738 mi | 54,879 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 701,208 | 179 |
Most common faults
Honda Civic
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
Honda S
- Oil leak
- Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
- Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
- Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate, the Honda S is the more reliable of the two — 85% pass first time versus 74%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Full Honda Civic report Full Honda S report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.