2003 Honda Civic MOT pass rate: 63.6% (22,874 tests)
Is the 2003 Civic getting worse?
Pass rate of 2003-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 63.7% -0.7 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 63.3% -1.5 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 63.7% -2.4 vs same-age |
The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.
What fails on a 2003 Civic
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8,613 | 26.7% |
| 2 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 8,056 | 25.0% |
| 3 | Brakes | 5,154 | 16.0% |
| 4 | Body, chassis, structure | 2,424 | 7.5% |
| 5 | Noise, emissions and leaks | 2,422 | 7.5% |
| 6 | Tyres | 1,829 | 5.7% |
All Civic years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 13,535 | 64.1% | -2.5 pts | 98,931 |
| 2002 | 19,893 | 64.3% | -1.4 pts | 105,525 |
| 2003 (this page) | 22,874 | 63.6% | -1.4 pts | 104,879 |
| 2004 | 31,667 | 64.9% | +0.6 pts | 109,045 |
| 2005 | 38,009 | 65.0% | +0.5 pts | 107,382 |
| 2006 | 43,525 | 63.7% | -0.7 pts | 121,709 |
| 2007 | 67,711 | 64.1% | -1.0 pts | 118,264 |
| 2008 | 62,372 | 64.4% | -0.8 pts | 113,802 |
| 2009 | 56,653 | 65.3% | -1.1 pts | 106,969 |
| 2010 | 49,743 | 66.6% | -0.8 pts | 100,312 |
| 2011 | 33,156 | 68.9% | -0.2 pts | 88,939 |
| 2012 | 38,947 | 79.4% | +8.2 pts | 88,642 |
| 2013 | 45,420 | 81.8% | +8.5 pts | 85,984 |
| 2014 | 42,758 | 84.3% | +8.4 pts | 75,967 |
| 2015 | 44,522 | 85.5% | +6.8 pts | 67,641 |
| 2016 | 48,010 | 87.0% | +5.7 pts | 57,771 |
| 2017 | 43,234 | 88.0% | +4.0 pts | 47,766 |
| 2018 | 40,097 | 88.4% | +2.0 pts | 42,836 |
| 2019 | 37,321 | 90.6% | +2.2 pts | 34,828 |
| 2020 | 9,851 | 92.0% | +2.1 pts | 27,473 |
Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Honda Civic years to avoid.
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FAQs
Is a 2003 Honda Civic reliable?
2003-registered examples passed 63.6% of their MOT tests (22,874 tests, 2023–2025), -1.4 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 23 years old with a median 104,879 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2003 Civic?
The median tested example shows 104,879 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.