2015 Vauxhall Insignia — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 180,686 MOT tests, the 2015 Vauxhall Insignia recorded a 79.7% pass rate. That is 3.3 percentage points worse than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 17.0%. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 10.2% of all tests — 3.2 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and brake pads — coil spring alone was recorded 16,716 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 13.7% in the 0-30k band and 23.4% in the 150k+ band, a 9.7-point spread.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.9pp more often than petrol ones (20.6% vs 15.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 28.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 17.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.2% | 18,352 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.9% | 12,519 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 6.4% | 11,626 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.8% | 8,672 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 5,556 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 3,011 |
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 | 16,716 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 8,915 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 6,796 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 4,806 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 4,575 |
| 6 | Wipers | 4,236 |
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 | 28.3% | 51,118 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.6% | 33,562 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.2% | 23,793 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.4% | 17,044 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 13,603 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.9% | 8,833 |
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 | 3,301 | 13.7% |
| 30-60k | 33,480 | 16.9% |
| 60-90k | 61,415 | 19.8% |
| 90-120k | 46,993 | 21.9% |
| 120-150k | 22,979 | 22.6% |
| 150k+ | 12,314 | 23.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 168,829 | 20.6% |
| Petrol | 11,857 | 15.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36,379 | 17.4% |
| 2022 | 37,163 | 19.7% |
| 2023 | 37,139 | 21.4% |
| 2024 | 35,612 | 21.1% |
| 2025 | 34,393 | 22.1% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Insignia
On a 2015 Insignia, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (10.2% 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.
- Tyres (6.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2015 Vauxhall Insignias pass their MOT?
79.7% of the 180,686 2015 Vauxhall Insignia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Vauxhall Insignia?
Suspension, recorded in 10.2% of tests, followed by tyres (6.9%).
Does the 2015 Insignia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.7% in the 0-30k band to 23.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 180,686 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.