Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2004 Honda Civic?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2004 Honda Civic?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2004 Honda Civic?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

How many 2004 Honda Civic vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

40% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2004 Honda Civic reliable?

Based on MOT data from 33,904 vehicles, the 2004 Honda Civic has a first-time MOT pass rate of 75.5%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2004 Honda Civic?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2004 Honda Civic are: Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (80.2% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (77.2% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (55.3% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2004 Honda Civic?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Honda Civic (2004)

33,904 real MOT outcomes analysed • 75.5% first-time pass rate

2004 Honda Civic

CarHunch analysed 33,904 real MOT records for the 2004 Honda Civic. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Petrol vs Diesel Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2004 Honda Civic passes its MOT first time in 75.4% of cases, running 4.6 percentage points below the UK average — a modest shortfall, but worth noting. More concerning is that 40.4% of these cars have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is significantly higher than typical and should prompt a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

These Civics are sitting at a median 74,177 miles, reasonable for their age, yet they're averaging 4.75 failures and 26.2 advisories per test — suggesting cumulative wear and deferred maintenance are catching up. If you're considering one, budget for immediate remedial work beyond just getting it through MOT, and factor in the dangerous-defect history by commissioning an independent pre-purchase check.

The 2004 Honda Civic has a decent first-time pass rate (75.5%), but a higher-than-average share of vehicles have had serious defects recorded — the individual vehicle's history matters a lot here.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

75.5%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

40.4%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

4.75

Over 18.4 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

74k

Middle half: 58k–91k

For context

🔧 Average reliability. Passes at roughly the UK rate — not a standout, not a problem vehicle. Individual history makes all the difference.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 26.2 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 33,904 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Watch for defects — worth knowing

What tends to go wrong

Across 33,904 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 80.2%

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 44.7%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 24.9%

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components · Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · Oil leak, but not excessive

Suspension & steering 17.9%

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement · Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2004.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 33,904 Honda Civic cars.

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2.2 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

75.7%

Petrol

30,830 vehicles

73.5%

Diesel

2,827 vehicles

Before you buy a 2004 Honda Civic

Based on MOT data from 33,904 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 40.4% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (91%)	30,830	75.7%	4.78
Diesel (8%)	2,827	73.5%	4.55
Other (0%)	101	77.6%	3.06
Electric (0%)	88	77%	4.02

Colour Breakdown

Based on 695,630 Honda Civic vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 25.2%

175,395

Blue 18.9%

131,192

Black 15.3%

106,201

Red 15.1%

105,273

Grey 10.2%

70,797

Green 7.3%

50,600

White 6.2%

43,276

Brown 0.9%

5,921

Bronze 0.4%

2,983

Gold 0.3%

1,893

Yellow 0.2%

1,260

Orange 0.1%

839

Mileage Distribution

Most 2004 Honda Civic vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

74,177

typical

57,647

low mileage

90,965

high mileage

Half of all 2004 Honda Civic vehicles fall between 57,647 and 90,965 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 57,647 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 57,647–90,965 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2004 Honda Civics sit.

⚠ Over 122,802 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2004 Honda Civic — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 28% of 2004 Honda Civics are still active.

Numbers are declining — 8,569 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (28% of peak).

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

18.4

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

4.75

Avg failures per vehicle

26.2

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Honda Civic: All Civic years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2004 Honda Civic stacks up against a rival.

Watch for defects — worth knowing