Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2013 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 2013 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 2013 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 2013 Honda Civic vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

37% 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 2013 Honda Civic reliable?

Based on MOT data from 16,365 vehicles, the 2013 Honda Civic has a first-time MOT pass rate of 84.9%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2013 Honda Civic?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2013 Honda Civic are: Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (49.5% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (48.8% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (48.2% 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 2013 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.

CarHunch

Get Started

Honda Civic (2013)

16,365 real MOT outcomes analysed • 84.9% first-time pass rate

2013 Honda Civic

CarHunch analysed 16,365 real MOT records for the 2013 Honda Civic. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

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 2013 Honda Civic passes MOT at 84.7%, comfortably above the UK average of 80%, which is a positive sign for reliability — but the 37.4% of vehicles that have recorded a dangerous defect is a meaningful concern worth investigating on any used example you're considering. Petrol versions pull ahead of diesels (86.3% pass rate versus 83.2%), suggesting the petrol engine is the more robust choice in this generation.

At a median mileage of 50,413 miles for a 2013, these cars have been driven conservatively, yet they're still averaging 1.91 failures per test — pointing to wear-related issues rather than manufacturing defects. Focus your pre-purchase inspection on suspension, brakes, and exhaust components, which drive most of the failures; a full service history and a thorough check for any past dangerous defect records will tell you whether the individual car you're looking at bucked the trend.

The 2013 Honda Civic has a decent first-time pass rate (84.9%), 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

84.9%

UK average ~80%

Around average

Dangerous (ever)

37.4%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.91

Over 11.5 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

50k

Middle half: 38k–65k

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 11 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 16,365 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 16,365 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 49.5%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …

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

Tyre wear 48.8%

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · …

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

Other issues 17.3%

Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread

Lighting 9.9%

Offside Front Position lamp not working · Nearside Front Position lamp not working

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2013.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 16,365 Honda Civic cars.

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2.8 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

86.3%

Petrol

8,209 vehicles

83.5%

Diesel

8,150 vehicles

Before you buy a 2013 Honda Civic

Based on MOT data from 16,365 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 37.4% 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 (50%)	8,209	86.3%	1.73
Diesel (50%)	8,150	83.5%	2.09

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 2013 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.

50,413

typical

37,603

low mileage

64,521

high mileage

Half of all 2013 Honda Civic vehicles fall between 37,603 and 64,521 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 37,603 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.

✓ 37,603–64,521 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2013 Honda Civics sit.

⚠ Over 87,103 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2013 Honda Civic — Still on the Road

Almost all 2013 Honda Civics are still on the road.

Strong survival — 14,656 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 92% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2016–2025.
* 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

11.5

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.91

Avg failures per vehicle

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Or browse all models: Honda →

Compare with another model

See how the 2013 Honda Civic stacks up against a rival.

Watch for defects — worth knowing