Honda FR-V Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Honda FR-V fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 13,629 MOT tests across 7 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Petrol, LPG
71%
Honda FR-V pass rate
84%
Honda average
82%
All-model average
The Honda FR-V has an average MOT pass rate of 71%, which is 13 points below the Honda average and 11 points below the average across all models in our data. Newer Honda FR-Vs pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 5 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Honda FR-V Fails Its MOT On
Of the 2,734 MOT tests on the Honda FR-V that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
51%Cars and vans the same age: 49% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
42%Cars and vans the same age: 41% · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
23%Cars and vans the same age: 27% · Typical repair £80-£450
Tyres
20%Cars and vans the same age: 17% · Typical repair £50-£300
Body, chassis and structure
19%Cars and vans the same age: 19% · Typical repair £200-£1200
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Position lamp: not working (21% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Suspension mounting area corroded, significantly reducing its strength (16% of failed tests, suspension)
- Steering linkage ball joint excessively worn (10% of failed tests, suspension)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Honda FR-V Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each FR-V year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Honda FR-V Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
Honda FR-V Running Costs
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Honda FR-V FAQ
What are the most common Honda FR-V problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Honda FR-V that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (51% of the 2,734 failed tests), suspension (42%) and brakes (23%). The single most common fault was "Position lamp: not working" (21%). Across 13,629 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 71% ended in a pass.
Is the Honda FR-V reliable?
The Honda FR-V has an average MOT pass rate of 71%, from 13,629 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 3 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Honda FR-V years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2006 (68% of 2,833 tests passed, against 73% for all 2006 cars) and the 2005 (68% of 2,000 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Honda FR-V faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Honda FR-V typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
Check a Specific Honda FR-V
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Other Honda Models
Common problems pages for other Honda models