2013 Honda Insight — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Honda Insight passed 87.0% of its 2,898 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (19.1% fail rate), the 2013 Insight comes out 6.1pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.9% of tests against 4.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp and wipers — position lamp alone was recorded 120 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.8% in the 0-30k band and 14.9% in the 150k+ band, a 6.1-point spread.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 316 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 134 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.1% | 119 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.6% | 104 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.4% | 98 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 27 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 120 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 119 |
| 3 | Wipers | 70 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 66 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 65 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 62 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 20.3% | 589 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.9% | 548 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.8% | 372 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.8% | 226 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.9% | 172 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.5% | 131 |
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 | 204 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 520 | 11.5% |
| 60-90k | 507 | 13.2% |
| 90-120k | 488 | 13.5% |
| 120-150k | 421 | 12.3% |
| 150k+ | 752 | 14.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 2,692 | 12.7% |
| Other | 99 | 14.1% |
| Petrol | 61 | 14.8% |
| Electric | 46 | 23.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 671 | 11.2% |
| 2022 | 636 | 11.9% |
| 2023 | 602 | 13.6% |
| 2024 | 504 | 14.1% |
| 2025 | 485 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Insight
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.6% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Suspension (4.1% 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 2013 Honda Insights pass their MOT?
87.0% of the 2,898 2013 Honda Insight MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Honda Insight?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.9% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2013 Insight get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 14.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,898 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.