Vespa (douglas) T5 vs Honda PCX 125

The Vespa (douglas) T5 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda PCX 125: 81.3% vs 81.1%, a 0.2-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

first-time pass rate, outright fail rate and tests analysed · 2005–2025

Metric	Vespa (douglas) T5	Honda PCX 125
First-time pass rate	81.3%	81.1%
Outright fail rate	10.4%	12.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.7 pts	+8.2 pts
Engine size	123cc	125cc
Rank among all models	#3318 of 5428	#3358 of 5428
Median miles at test	16,044	16,405
MOT tests analysed	2,964	88,608
Most common failure	lighting and signalling	brakes

First-time outcomes on normal tests, 2005–2025. "Most common failure" is the component group with the most recorded defects on failed tests. Read pass rates against test counts: a smaller sample is noisier. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

"Vs comparable bikes" is the first-time pass rate minus the rate expected for each bike's own mix of age, mileage and test class, in percentage points: positive means better than comparable bikes. How this works.

What fails, side by side

share of each bike's MOT tests that failed on the component · lower is better

Component	Vespa (douglas) T5	Honda PCX 125
Lights & signalling	6.4%	3.9%
Brakes	2.5%	6.7%
Steering & suspension	3.8%	4.4%
Tyres & wheels	1.8%	5.3%
Structure & body	0.5%	0.7%
Fuel & exhaust	0.5%	0.0%

A test that fails on two components counts once in each. Component links go to the bikes most likely to fail on it.

Pass rate by test year

first-time MOT pass rate in each calendar year both bikes were tested

Test year	Vespa (douglas) T5	Honda PCX 125
2018	83.1%	81.2%
2019	80.0%	79.9%
2020	88.8%	82.3%
2021	82.1%	80.3%
2022	84.9%	80.3%
2023	78.8%	80.2%
2024	88.5%	80.9%
2025	94.0%	81.6%

Each year mixes bikes of different ages, so a fleet that is getting older tends to slip.

Pass rate by mileage

first-time MOT pass rate by miles on the clock at test

Mileage	Vespa (douglas) T5	Honda PCX 125
0k-10k miles	83.0%	88.4%
10k-20k miles	81.8%	79.3%
20k-30k miles	80.3%	78.0%
30k-40k miles	76.7%	77.0%
40k-50k miles	85.9%	74.8%
50k-60k miles	70.0%	75.8%

Bands with fewer than 30 tests for either bike are left out.

Vespa (douglas) T5 vs Honda PCX 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

Which is more reliable, the Vespa (douglas) T5 or the Honda PCX 125?

The Vespa (douglas) T5 passes its MOT first time more often than the Honda PCX 125: 81.3% vs 81.1%, a 0.2-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda PCX 125 still comes out ahead: +4.7 points vs comparable bikes for the Vespa (douglas) T5, +8.2 for the Honda PCX 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Vespa (douglas) T5 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 6.4% of Vespa (douglas) T5 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (3.8%).

What does the Honda PCX 125 fail its MOT on most?

Brakes: 6.7% of Honda PCX 125 MOT tests failed on it, then tyres & wheels (5.3%).

Which holds up better at high mileage, the Vespa (douglas) T5 or the Honda PCX 125?

At 50k-60k miles the Honda PCX 125 passes first time more often: 70.0% for the Vespa (douglas) T5 vs 75.8% for the Honda PCX 125.

VESPA (DOUGLAS) T5 81.3% pass · 2,964 tests HONDA PCX 125 81.1% pass · 88.6k tests

See each bike's full report (trend, mileage curve, failure breakdown and rivals) on its own page.