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Honda S2000 reliability

A · Excellent

MOT pass rates and common problems from 46,861 MOT tests of cars first registered 1999–2009.

Jump to: YearsEnginesCommon failures
79.7%pass first time
+19.1 ptsvs typical car
Beats 99%of cars
46,861MOT tests

Verdict

The Honda S2000 passes its MOT first time on 79.7% of tests, 19.1 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (60.6%). That puts it ahead of 99% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2009 S2000 does best (beats 100% of cars) and the 2000 worst (beats 96%).

Better than average on brakes, lights & electrics, suspension.

Watch these weak spots

Linkage4.6×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

50%60%70%80%90%1112131415161718192081%82%79%79%79%
Honda S2000Typical car, same age & mileage

Best and worst years

By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.

1999
Beats 98%
2000
Beats 96%
2001
Beats 98%
2002
Beats 99%
2003
Beats 99%
2004
Beats 99%
2005
Beats 99%
2006
Beats 99%
2007
Beats 99%
2008
Beats 99%
2009
Beats 100%

Engines

All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

EngineYearsTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol1999–200946,86179.7%Beats 99%A

Where it fails

Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.

Exhaust: 3.3% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 5.8% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Suspension: 4.8% of tests fail on suspension, against 14.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Lights: 5.5% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 18.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Tyres: 2.7% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Brakes: 6.6% of tests fail on brakes, against 11.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Lights: 5.5% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 18.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+12.7 ptsTyres: 2.7% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres+3.5 ptsBrakes: 6.6% of tests fail on brakes, against 11.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes+4.6 ptsSuspension: 4.8% of tests fail on suspension, against 14.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension+9.3 ptsExhaust: 3.3% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 5.8% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust+2.5 ptsSuspension: 4.8% of tests fail on suspension, against 14.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Brakes: 6.6% of tests fail on brakes, against 11.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Tyres: 2.7% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Lights: 5.5% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 18.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Exhaust: 3.3% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 5.8% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Lights: 5.5% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 18.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.Lights+12.7 ptsTyres: 2.7% of tests fail on tyres, against 6.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Check the tread on every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts or bulges.Tyres+3.5 ptsBrakes: 6.6% of tests fail on brakes, against 11.2% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stop straight with no pulsing or grinding.Brakes+4.6 ptsSuspension: 4.8% of tests fail on suspension, against 14.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.Suspension+9.3 ptsExhaust: 3.3% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 5.8% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.Exhaust+2.5 pts
Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical
Exhaust: 3.3% of tests fail on emissions & leaks, against 5.8% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look underneath for oil or fluid leaks.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Brakes
6.6% vs 11.2%
Lights & electrics
5.5% vs 18.2%
Suspension
4.8% vs 14.1%
Visibility
4.6% vs 7.1%
Emissions & leaks
3.3% vs 5.8%
Tyres
2.7% vs 6.2%
Body & structure
1.3% vs 7.1%
Seat belts & airbags
0.9% vs 2.4%
Steering
0.8% vs 3.0%
Wheels
0.1% vs 0.3%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

  • Windscreen washers
    Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail.
  • Brake performance
    On the test drive, brake firmly: the car should stop straight with no pulsing through the pedal.
  • Exhaust emissions (catalyst)
    Check past MOT emissions readings in the car's history: rising readings can mean catalyst or sensor problems.
  • Sidelights
    Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.
  • Headlight aim
    Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.
  • Tyre tread depth
    Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

50%60%70%80%90%100%10k20k30k40k50k60k70k80k90k100k110k120k130k93%89%84%80%74%72%69%
Honda S2000Typical car

Most common MOT failures

ItemThis carTypicalvs typical
Windscreen washers2.6%3.1%0.8×
Brake performance2.3%2.1%1.1×
Exhaust emissions (catalyst)2.1%2.3%0.9×
Windscreen wipers1.7%3.5%0.5×
Sidelights1.6%4.2%0.4×
Headlight aim1.5%5.1%0.3×
Tyre tread depth1.3%2.4%0.5×
Linkage1.3%0.3%4.6×
Brake pipes1.2%2.3%0.5×
Tyre damage & cracking1.2%3.5%0.3×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defectper 1,000
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen25.7
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake23.1
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen16.5
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements15.0
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements12.7
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning12.6
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer10.6
Emissions levels exceed default limits10.2
Check another car

Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.

Every year and engine

Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

2009 Honda S20001 engine88.3% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol3,14688.3%Beats 100%A
2008 Honda S20001 engine83.7% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol2,57783.7%Beats 99%A
2007 Honda S20001 engine82.6% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol4,32382.6%Beats 99%A
2006 Honda S20001 engine81.9% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol5,01281.9%Beats 99%A
2005 Honda S20001 engine80.0% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol6,51280.0%Beats 99%A
2004 Honda S20001 engine80.1% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol6,31380.1%Beats 99%A
2003 Honda S20001 engine77.3% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol5,96677.3%Beats 99%A
2002 Honda S20001 engine76.8% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol5,89076.8%Beats 99%A
2001 Honda S20001 engine75.0% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol2,34075.0%Beats 98%A
2000 Honda S20001 engine73.9% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol3,21773.9%Beats 96%A
1999 Honda S20001 engine77.0% passA
EngineTestsPass rateRankGrade
2.0 Petrol1,56577.0%Beats 98%A

FAQ

What is the Honda S2000 MOT pass rate?

79.7% of MOT tests on the Honda S2000 were passed first time, based on 46,861 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 1999–2009. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 60.6% of the time.

Is the Honda S2000 reliable?

On MOT results it rates A (excellent): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 99% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Honda S2000 year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2009 S2000 does best for its age and mileage: it beats 100% of cars on UK roads. The 2000 does worst: it beats 96%.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Honda S2000?

The most common failure items are windscreen washers, brake performance, exhaust emissions (catalyst). Compared with similar cars, linkage comes up 4.6× as often.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.