2021 Honda Civic EX Vtec 1.0L Petrol · NJ21 ABU

The Honda Civic EX VTEC presents a sound mechanical baseline, though the most recent MOT on 12 June 2026 at 23,369 miles reveals a cluster of emerging consumable wear that warrants attention. The overall maintenance trend is currently stable but showing a clear shift from the defect-free history of previous years. The tester flagged all four tyres for wear, with the offside rear, nearside front, and nearside rear worn close to the legal limit and worn on the edge, while the nearside front also showed cracking or perishing. Front brake pads were noted as wearing thin. These are not structural failures, but they indicate a vehicle that has recently transitioned from low-mileage dormancy into active use, and the tyre condition suggests the previous owner deferred replacement of aged rubber. The mileage pattern tells a specific story. Between the first test on 21 June 2023 at 3,657 miles and the test on 8 June 2024 at 9,052 miles, the car covered 5,395 miles in under a year. It then sat almost entirely idle for the following twelve months, adding only 7,317 miles by 17 June 2025 at 16,369 miles. Since then, the car has covered another 7,000 miles in roughly a year, bringing it to 23,369 miles today. This is a low annual average of about 4,674 miles, but the recent step-change in usage after a long period of inactivity is significant. Tyres that perished on the nearside front likely deteriorated while the car was standing, not from aggressive driving, which explains the simultaneous cracking advisory alongside edge wear. A buyer should focus the in-person inspection on the tyres and braking system. The edge wear pattern across multiple tyres suggests possible misalignment or suspension geometry drift, so check the inner sidewalls closely and inspect the condition of the suspension bushes and tracking. The thin front brake pads indicate the car is now being driven hard enough to consume friction material after years of minimal use, so examine the front brake discs for lipping or scoring and verify the rear calipers are not binding given the rear tyre wear. Beyond the flagged items, look for corrosion on the subframe and suspension mounts, as a car that has stood for long periods can develop surface rust that accelerates if not treated. The clean MOT history prior to June 2026 suggests no major mechanical neglect, but the sudden uptick in wear items means a fresh inspection of consumables is essential before purchase.