2010 Honda Insight — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Honda Insight passed 82.0% of its 16,810 recorded MOT tests. That is 6.3 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.5% of all tests — 7.4 points clear of brakes, 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 979 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.0% versus 9.2%.
Split by fuel, other examples fail 2.5pp more often than electric ones (18.9% vs 16.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 26.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.5% | 2,271 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.1% | 1,021 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.0% | 1,002 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.1% | 863 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.2% | 709 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 305 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 979 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 918 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 721 |
| 4 | Wipers | 548 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 479 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 404 |
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 | 26.5% | 4,449 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.6% | 4,300 |
| 3 | Suspension | 18.6% | 3,129 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 17.1% | 2,876 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.6% | 1,789 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.4% | 1,241 |
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 | 293 | 9.2% |
| 30-60k | 2,312 | 13.5% |
| 60-90k | 4,245 | 17.3% |
| 90-120k | 3,759 | 18.9% |
| 120-150k | 2,497 | 19.9% |
| 150k+ | 3,683 | 20.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 5,751 | 17.9% |
| Petrol | 5,269 | 18.5% |
| Electric | 2,900 | 16.4% |
| Other | 2,839 | 18.9% |
| Diesel | 45 | 20.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,360 | 15.5% |
| 2022 | 3,391 | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 3,398 | 17.9% |
| 2024 | 3,370 | 19.1% |
| 2025 | 3,291 | 20.3% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Insight
On a 2010 Insight, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.1% 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.
- Suspension (6.0% 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.
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 2010 Honda Insights pass their MOT?
82.0% of the 16,810 2010 Honda Insight MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Honda Insight?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.5% of tests, followed by brakes (6.1%).
Does the 2010 Insight get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.2% in the 0-30k band to 20.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 16,810 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.