Honda S2000: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Honda S2000 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 7.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 4,947 individual Honda S2000 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate84.2%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+7.5 points
Tests analysed4,947
Average mileage at test77,480 miles
Average year of manufacture2004
Reliability rank1,290 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 84.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 16 in every 100 Honda S2000s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Honda S2000 tested had covered 77,480 miles and was built around 2004.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Honda S2000 bought as a repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Honda S2000 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged Honda S2000s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Honda S2000

  1. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 1.4% of tests (4.85x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits, 0.8% of tests (3.69x the national rate for this defect)
  3. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 0.7% of tests (2.97x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 0.9% of tests (2.4x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.7% of tests (2.25x the national rate for this defect)
  6. Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., 0.8% of tests (1.94x the national rate for this defect)
  7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.3% of tests
  8. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.9% of tests
  9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 0.8% of tests
  10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.8% of tests

From 7,898 DVSA-tracked Honda S2000 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.52% of these flagged Honda S2000 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Honda S2000 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Honda S2000 year:

Other Honda models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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Honda S2000 MOT pass rate badge: 84.2%

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate