2010 Vauxhall Insignia — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 104,631 MOT tests, the 2010 Vauxhall Insignia recorded a 76.5% pass rate. That is effectively the same as large family cars of a similar age (23.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (11.3%) and suspension (11.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, coil spring and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 5,850 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.2% versus 18.8%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 23.3% of the time against 23.5% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 32.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.3% | 11,834 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.0% | 11,491 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.9% | 8,225 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.2% | 7,577 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 4,133 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 3,257 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 5,850 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 5,629 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 5,489 |
| 4 | Individual direction indicators | 3,573 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 3,542 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 3,367 |
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 | 32.3% | 33,755 |
| 2 | Suspension | 28.4% | 29,676 |
| 3 | Brakes | 22.3% | 23,280 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 16.1% | 16,843 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 15.1% | 15,846 |
| 6 | Other defects | 13.3% | 13,957 |
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 | 888 | 18.8% |
| 30-60k | 4,970 | 17.1% |
| 60-90k | 21,899 | 21.9% |
| 90-120k | 35,764 | 23.8% |
| 120-150k | 26,055 | 24.8% |
| 150k+ | 14,134 | 25.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 80,987 | 23.5% |
| Petrol | 23,643 | 23.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 28,617 | 22.2% |
| 2022 | 25,225 | 22.9% |
| 2023 | 21,227 | 23.8% |
| 2024 | 16,927 | 24.7% |
| 2025 | 12,635 | 25.3% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Insignia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.0% 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.
- Brakes (7.9% 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 2010 Vauxhall Insignias pass their MOT?
76.5% of the 104,631 2010 Vauxhall Insignia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Vauxhall Insignia?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.3% of tests, followed by suspension (11.0%).
Does the 2010 Insignia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.8% in the 0-30k band to 25.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 104,631 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.