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MOT fail rates by first-use year

2003 Honda Jazz MOT fail rate and common faults

How Honda Jazz cars first used in 2003 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 25,886 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated

At 22 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 22 (n=5,142)44.5%
All cars at 22 years (n=913,980)41.0%
Difference+3.5 pts
MOT tests of 2003 cars, 2022 to 202525,886

What stands out

  • In 2025, at 22 years old, Honda Jazz cars first used in 2003 failed 44.5% of MOTs (5,142 tests), 3.5 points above the 41.0% for all cars that age.
  • From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 19 to 22 years old, the fail rate moved from 42.1% to 44.5%.
  • Honda Jazz cars first used a year earlier, in 2002, failed 45.9% at the same age of 22 years (2,649 tests, in 2024).
  • The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Honda Jazz at 22 years, is component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength, at 5.4 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 3.5).

MOT fail rate by test year

Honda Jazz cars first used in 2003: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test yearAgeMOT fail rateTests (n)All carsDifference
202219 years42.1%7,82643.2%−1.0 pts
202320 years43.1%6,95842.8%+0.3 pts
202421 years45.6%5,96042.1%+3.5 pts
202522 years44.5%5,14241.0%+3.5 pts

Most common faults at 22 years

These figures cover all Honda Jazz MOTs at 22 years: cars first used 2002 to 2003, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=7,794). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail itemPer 100 MOTsAll cars
Side/position light not working Wear7.14.6
Brake light not working Wear7.03.7
Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength5.43.5
Wipers not clearing screen Wear4.73.5
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Wear4.63.2
Suspension arm bush worn4.21.7
Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases3.42.2
Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded3.32.4
Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits3.21.9
Washers: not working Wear2.91.4

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=7,794). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

AdvisoryPer 100 MOTsAll cars
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material26.115.9
Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement23.56.7
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear17.413.7
Coil spring: corroded15.38.0
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear14.210.4
Headlamp: has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output Wear10.62.9
Headlamp: lens slightly defective Wear9.03.3
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Wear8.86.8
Macpherson strut pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement8.60.8
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened7.84.2

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=7,794). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 22 years

These figures cover all Honda Jazz MOTs at 22 years: cars first used 2002 to 2003, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=7,794). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

FuelShare of testsMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars, same fuelMedian mileage
Petrol100.0%45.0%7,79140.6%95,174 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 22 years

These figures cover all Honda Jazz MOTs at 22 years: cars first used 2002 to 2003, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=7,794). At 22 years, Honda Jazz cars at 120,000 to 150,000 miles failed more often (50.9%, n=1,373) than those at 30,000 to 60,000 miles (32.6%, n=1,055). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at testMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
30,000 to 60,000 miles32.6%1,05533.3%
60,000 to 90,000 miles42.8%2,20739.7%
90,000 to 120,000 miles48.8%2,38343.4%
120,000 to 150,000 miles50.9%1,37345.0%

Car tax rules for a 2003 car

  • Cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 emissions band, from band A (the lowest emissions) to band M. The band is set by the CO2 figure on the V5C logbook.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

  • Many petrol cars first registered from 2001 to 2005 already meet Euro 4, but not all of them. For a 2003 petrol car the Euro standard of that car decides.
  • Hybrids follow the Euro standard of their petrol or diesel engine.
  • The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the Honda Jazz

Other Honda models first used in 2003

ModelAge at testMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
Honda Civic (2003)22 years in 202545.7%6,43541.0%
Honda CR-V (2003)22 years in 202549.2%4,03741.0%
Honda Accord (2003)22 years in 202543.6%1,34741.0%

More on the Honda Jazz

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2003 Honda Jazz cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.