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Honda CR250 Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Honda CR250 car check

Is the Honda CR250 reliable? We analysed 682 real MOT tests across 138 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 682 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
82.4%
Typical Mileage
8,556mi
Annual Mileage
159mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
30yrs

The Honda CR250 is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include tyre is unsuitable, stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies and shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Honda CR250.

Honda CR250 Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Honda CR250. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Honda CR250 MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Honda CR250 to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

80%
2003
81.4%
2002
85.9%
2001
87.9%
1998
80.4%
1996

Honda CR250 Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Honda CR250 fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Tyre is unsuitable 15
Stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies 14
shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil 12
wheel bearings have excessive free play 12
Horn not working 9
reflector on motorcycle missing 8
wheel bearings have excessive free play 6
Steering headbearing has excessive free play 5
Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instruction/s 5

Honda CR250 Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Honda CR250 owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
60 mi/yr
Typical
159 mi/yr
Average
717 mi/yr
Heavy usage
560 mi/yr

Honda CR250 MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Honda CR250 year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2003 85 80.0% 520 887 11,663
2002 70 81.4% 741 19,406 21,380
2001 92 85.9% 6,894 8,556 23,507
1998 66 87.9% 254 1,906 18,659
1996 56 80.4% 251 20,603 20,698

How Long Does a Honda CR250 Last?

Based on 138 Honda CR250 vehicles on UK roads.

Average
14.1 years
Median
14.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
30 years

Honda CR250 Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Honda CR250 MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
8,556 mi
75th Percentile
15,358 mi
95th Percentile
22,554 mi
Max Recorded
42,572 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Honda CR250

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
1998

87.9% MOT pass rate from 66 tests

Year to avoid
2003

80.0% MOT pass rate from 85 tests

The best year to buy a used Honda CR250 is 1998, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 87.9% across 66 tests. The 2003 model year has the lowest pass rate at 80.0% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Honda CR250 Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Honda CR250 THIS CAR 82.4% 682 8,556 mi 30 yrs
Honda Civic 73.7% 9,391,580 74,987 mi 34 yrs
Honda Jazz 81% 5,740,892 48,635 mi 24 yrs
Honda Cr-v 78.5% 4,177,643 80,499 mi 29 yrs
Kawasaki Zx 1002 Ajf SX 92.6% 664 8,546 mi — yrs

Compared to the Honda Civic (73.7% pass rate) and the Honda Jazz (81.0% pass rate), the Honda CR250 outperforms both on MOT reliability.

Found a Honda CR250 you like?

Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.

Check a specific Honda CR250

Should you buy a used Honda CR250?

The Honda CR250 has an overall MOT pass rate of 82.4% across 682 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Honda CR250 are tyre is unsuitable (15 recorded failures), stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies (14), and shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil (12). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Honda CR250 owner drives around 159 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Honda CR250 models stay on UK roads for around 30 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Honda CR250 — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Honda CR250 reliable?
Based on 682 MOT tests, the Honda CR250 has a 82.4% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Honda CR250?
The most common MOT failures are tyre is unsuitable, stop lamp does not illuminate immediately a brake applies, and shock absorber seal failed and leaking oil. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Honda CR250 do per year?
The typical Honda CR250 does around 159 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Honda CR250 last?
Most Honda CR250 models stay on UK roads for around 30 years based on our analysis of 138 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Honda CR250?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Honda CR250?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Honda CR250 is 1998 with a 87.9% pass rate across 66 tests.