2014 Vauxhall Insignia — MOT failures & pass rate
163,297 MOT tests on the 2014 Vauxhall Insignia are in this dataset, and 77.9% of them passed. Against large family cars of a similar age (18.6% fail rate), the 2014 Insignia comes out 3.4pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 11.2% of tests against 7.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and pins and bushes — coil spring alone was recorded 13,992 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.7% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 19.5% fail against 22.3% for diesel, a 2.9-point gap across 163,297 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 19.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.2% | 18,224 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 12,223 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.0% | 11,445 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.1% | 8,333 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 5,019 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.3% | 3,806 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 13,992 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 7,893 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 6,689 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 6,152 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 5,203 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 4,414 |
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 | 29.4% | 48,042 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.3% | 31,509 |
| 3 | Suspension | 18.5% | 30,265 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.8% | 15,998 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.7% | 14,189 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.2% | 10,111 |
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 | 1,884 | 17.4% |
| 30-60k | 18,597 | 17.1% |
| 60-90k | 48,353 | 20.7% |
| 90-120k | 48,408 | 23.1% |
| 120-150k | 28,148 | 24.2% |
| 150k+ | 17,496 | 24.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 147,729 | 22.3% |
| Petrol | 15,568 | 19.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33,601 | 19.5% |
| 2022 | 33,887 | 21.4% |
| 2023 | 33,694 | 23.1% |
| 2024 | 31,981 | 23.0% |
| 2025 | 30,134 | 23.6% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Insignia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 11.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (11.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (7.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.0% 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.
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 Vauxhall Insignias pass their MOT?
77.9% of the 163,297 2014 Vauxhall Insignia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Vauxhall Insignia?
Suspension, recorded in 11.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.5%).
Does the 2014 Insignia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.4% in the 0-30k band to 24.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 163,297 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.