Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1991 Honda Crx?

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 1991 Honda Crx?

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 1991 Honda Crx?

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.

Is the 1991 Honda Crx reliable?

Based on MOT data from 440 vehicles, the 1991 Honda Crx has a first-time MOT pass rate of 69.8%, indicating average reliability for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 1991 Honda Crx?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1991 Honda Crx are: Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (33.1% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (25% of vehicles), Oil leak (24.9% 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 1991 Honda Crx?

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 Crx (1991)

440 real MOT outcomes analysed • 69.8% first-time pass rate

1991 Honda Crx

CarHunch analysed 440 real MOT records for the 1991 Honda Crx. 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 Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

Moderate sample. 440 vehicles on record. Figures are indicative — the specific vehicle's history matters more than these averages.

The 1991 Honda CRX passes MOT on the first attempt just 69.8% of the time, sitting 10 percentage points below the UK average of 80%—a meaningful reliability gap for a car this age. One in six of these vehicles (16.6%) have recorded a dangerous defect during their MOT history, which is worth factoring into your inspection checklist.

These CRXs are covering a reasonable 127,000 miles on average for their age, but they're picking up an average of 2 failures and 7.5 advisories per test, suggesting wear is catching up with the ageing chassis and electrics. Before buying, get a pre-purchase inspection that specifically focuses on braking systems and suspension components, where the majority of failures tend to cluster on cars of this vintage.

The 1991 Honda Crx has a below-average first-time pass rate (69.8% vs ~80% UK average) — check the specific vehicle's full MOT history carefully before buying.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 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

69.8%

UK average ~80%

Below average

Dangerous (ever)

16.6%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

2.04

Over 6.5 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

127k

Middle half: 104k–157k

For context

⚠️ Below average. More vehicles in this cohort fail their first MOT than typical. Scrutinise this vehicle's history — look for recurring issues, not just the latest result.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 7.5 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 440 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.

Buyer beware — pass it on

What tends to go wrong

Across 440 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Brake wear 33.1%

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements · Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. · Service brake: efficiency below requirements · …

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

Tyre wear 25%

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Offside 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.

Other issues 24.9%

Oil leak · Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A'

Suspension & steering 20%

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement · Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement · Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded

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

Lighting 13%

Offside Rear fog lamp not working

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

Exhaust & emissions 9.9%

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1991.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 440 Honda Crx cars.

Before you buy a 1991 Honda Crx

Based on MOT data from 440 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 16.6% 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 (99%)	437	69.8%	2.04

Colour Breakdown

Based on 5,155 Honda Crx vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Red 29.4%

1,516

Black 19.8%

1,019

Blue 15.7%

808

Silver 13.1%

674

White 12%

617

Green 7.8%

400

Grey 0.9%

Yellow 0.4%

Orange 0.4%

Purple 0.3%

Gold 0.2%

Maroon 0.2%

Mileage Distribution

Most 1991 Honda Crx 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.

126,902

typical

103,809

low mileage

156,782

high mileage

Half of all 1991 Honda Crx vehicles fall between 103,809 and 156,782 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 103,809 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.

✓ 103,809–156,782 miles — normal for age. This is where most 1991 Honda Crxs sit.

⚠ Over 211,655 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

1991 Honda Crx — Still on the Road

Numbers are thinning — 61% of 1991 Honda Crxs are still active.

47 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 — 61% of the peak remain.

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

6.5

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

2.04

Avg failures per vehicle

7.5

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

1985 1988 1989 1990 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

Or browse all models: Honda →

Compare with another model

See how the 1991 Honda Crx stacks up against a rival.

Buyer beware — pass it on