2014 Honda Insight — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,616 MOT tests, the 2014 Honda Insight recorded an 89.0% pass rate. That is 6.2 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 17.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 9.2% of all tests — 4.6 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and headlamp — position lamp alone was recorded 56 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 11.9% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 17.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 149 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 75 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.5% | 57 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.3% | 53 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.0% | 49 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 12 |
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 | 56 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 50 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 47 |
| 4 | Wipers | 44 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 37 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 31 |
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 | 17.4% | 282 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.0% | 259 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.4% | 168 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.4% | 71 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 68 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 43 |
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 | 160 | 5.6% |
| 30-60k | 380 | 10.5% |
| 60-90k | 323 | 11.5% |
| 90-120k | 227 | 13.7% |
| 120-150k | 182 | 11.0% |
| 150k+ | 344 | 11.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 358 | 7.5% |
| 2022 | 337 | 11.0% |
| 2023 | 339 | 11.2% |
| 2024 | 314 | 12.7% |
| 2025 | 268 | 13.4% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Insight
On a 2014 Insight, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (9.2% 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.
- Visibility (3.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2014 Honda Insights pass their MOT?
89.0% of the 1,616 2014 Honda Insight MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Honda Insight?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.2% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2014 Insight get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.6% in the 0-30k band to 11.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,616 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.