2019 Vauxhall Insignia — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 37,680 MOT tests, the 2019 Vauxhall Insignia recorded an 87.3% pass rate. Against large family cars of a similar age (11.4% fail rate), the 2019 Insignia comes out 1.3pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.8%) and brakes (4.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, wipers and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 1,676 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.8% in the 0-30k band and 19.4% in the 150k+ band, a 10.6-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.7pp more often than petrol ones (13.7% vs 12.0%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 2,173 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.3% | 1,635 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.9% | 1,475 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 1,086 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 972 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 141 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 1,676 |
| 2 | Wipers | 1,565 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,201 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 939 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 846 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 358 |
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 | 23.7% | 8,931 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.2% | 7,229 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.4% | 2,395 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.9% | 1,483 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.1% | 812 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 751 |
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 | 5,432 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 19,671 | 12.6% |
| 60-90k | 9,892 | 14.2% |
| 90-120k | 2,041 | 15.5% |
| 120-150k | 472 | 13.8% |
| 150k+ | 170 | 19.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 22,142 | 12.0% |
| Diesel | 15,538 | 13.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 620 | 8.7% |
| 2022 | 9,850 | 12.4% |
| 2023 | 9,294 | 12.6% |
| 2024 | 9,056 | 13.1% |
| 2025 | 8,860 | 13.1% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Insignia
On a 2019 Insignia, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.8% 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.
- Brakes (4.3% 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.
- Visibility (3.9% 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 2019 Vauxhall Insignias pass their MOT?
87.3% of the 37,680 2019 Vauxhall Insignia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Vauxhall Insignia?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by brakes (4.3%).
Does the 2019 Insignia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 19.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 37,680 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.