2009 Honda Insight — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Honda Insight passed 80.3% of its 12,626 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.8 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 25.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.2% of all tests — 5.8 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, position lamp and headlamp aim — headlamp alone was recorded 710 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.8% once past 150k — 2.0× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — electric fails 19.4% of the time against 20.0% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 26.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 17.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.2% | 1,664 |
| 2 | Suspension | 7.3% | 927 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.0% | 760 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.2% | 653 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 533 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 337 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 710 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 682 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 534 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 501 |
| 5 | Wipers | 418 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 368 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 26.8% | 3,389 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.4% | 3,336 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.9% | 2,641 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.1% | 2,292 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.3% | 1,557 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.7% | 1,095 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 221 | 11.8% |
| 30-60k | 1,565 | 14.1% |
| 60-90k | 3,102 | 16.7% |
| 90-120k | 3,353 | 21.4% |
| 120-150k | 2,187 | 21.9% |
| 150k+ | 2,169 | 23.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,263 | 20.0% |
| Hybrid | 4,166 | 19.5% |
| Electric | 2,130 | 19.4% |
| Other | 2,047 | 20.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,488 | 17.5% |
| 2022 | 2,568 | 19.0% |
| 2023 | 2,575 | 20.5% |
| 2024 | 2,531 | 20.3% |
| 2025 | 2,464 | 21.2% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Insight
On a 2009 Insight, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (7.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Brakes (6.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2009 Honda Insights pass their MOT?
80.3% of the 12,626 2009 Honda Insight MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Honda Insight?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.2% of tests, followed by suspension (7.3%).
Does the 2009 Insight get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.8% in the 0-30k band to 23.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,626 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.