Vespa T5 vs Honda PCX 125

The Honda PCX 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Vespa T5: 81.1% vs 80.8%, a 0.3-point lead.

MOT reliability, side by side

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

Metric	Vespa T5	Honda PCX 125
First-time pass rate	80.8%	81.1%
Outright fail rate	12.1%	12.9%
Vs comparable bikes (age & mileage adjusted)	+4.5 pts	+8.2 pts
Engine size	125cc	125cc
Rank among all models	#3418 of 5428	#3358 of 5428
Median miles at test	16,188	16,405
MOT tests analysed	1,034	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 T5	Honda PCX 125
Lights & signalling	6.9%	3.9%
Steering & suspension	4.8%	4.4%
Brakes	2.4%	6.7%
Tyres & wheels	2.3%	5.3%
Structure & body	0.4%	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 T5	Honda PCX 125
2018	79.1%	81.2%
2019	88.5%	79.9%
2020	83.0%	82.3%
2021	89.2%	80.3%
2022	84.7%	80.3%
2023	87.7%	80.2%
2024	82.6%	80.9%
2025	85.2%	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 T5	Honda PCX 125
0k-10k miles	84.1%	88.4%
10k-20k miles	78.1%	79.3%
20k-30k miles	80.0%	78.0%
30k-40k miles	85.4%	77.0%
40k-50k miles	73.5%	74.8%

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

Vespa T5 vs Honda PCX 125 FAQ

answers computed from the data above · terms in the glossary

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

The Honda PCX 125 passes its MOT first time more often than the Vespa T5: 81.1% vs 80.8%, a 0.3-point lead. Adjusted for age, mileage and test class, the Honda PCX 125 still comes out ahead: +4.5 points vs comparable bikes for the Vespa T5, +8.2 for the Honda PCX 125. An MOT checks roadworthiness items, not engine or gearbox internals.

What does the Vespa T5 fail its MOT on most?

Lights & signalling: 6.9% of Vespa T5 MOT tests failed on it, then steering & suspension (4.8%).

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 T5 or the Honda PCX 125?

At 40k-50k miles the Honda PCX 125 passes first time more often: 73.5% for the Vespa T5 vs 74.8% for the Honda PCX 125.

VESPA T5 80.8% pass · 1,034 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.