MOT fail rates by first-use year
2009 Honda Insight MOT fail rate and common faults
How Honda Insight cars first used in 2009 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 8,438 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.
MOT data updated
At 16 years, tested in 2025
What stands out
- In 2025, at 16 years old, Honda Insight cars first used in 2009 failed 34.0% of MOTs (2,058 tests), 8.5 points below the 42.6% for all cars that age.
- From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 13 to 16 years old, the fail rate moved from 30.4% to 34.0%.
- The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Honda Insight at 16 years, is component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength, at 3.7 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 1.5).
MOT fail rate by test year
| Test year | Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13 years | 30.4% | 2,145 | 38.3% | −7.8 pts |
| 2023 | 14 years | 33.1% | 2,122 | 40.3% | −7.1 pts |
| 2024 | 15 years | 32.0% | 2,113 | 41.6% | −9.6 pts |
| 2025 | 16 years | 34.0% | 2,058 | 42.6% | −8.5 pts |
Most common faults at 16 years
These figures cover all Honda Insight MOTs (first used 2009 or later) at 16 years: cars first used in 2009, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=2,058). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.
MOT fail items
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| Side/position light not working Wear | 6.6 | 5.9 |
| Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength | 3.7 | 1.5 |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Wear | 3.1 | 3.0 |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm Wear | 2.9 | 2.0 |
| Wipers not clearing screen Wear | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear | 2.2 | 3.1 |
| Dipped headlight not working Wear | 2.1 | 2.4 |
| Anti-roll bar link worn | 2.0 | 1.6 |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Wear | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear | 1.6 | 2.3 |
Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=2,058). A test with two items counts once for each.
Advisories
| Advisory | Per 100 MOTs | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear | 14.1 | 18.2 |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | 13.4 | 11.2 |
| Headlamp: has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output Wear | 11.6 | 2.5 |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear | 11.4 | 9.5 |
| Brake pads wearing thin Wear | 9.5 | 6.8 |
| Headlamp: lens slightly defective Wear | 6.3 | 2.8 |
| Coil spring: corroded | 6.3 | 7.4 |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources Wear | 5.9 | 5.9 |
| Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement | 5.5 | 8.7 |
| Track rod end: ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt | 5.4 | 1.1 |
Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=2,058). A test with two items counts once for each.
Car tax rules for a 2009 car
- Cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 emissions band, from band A (the lowest emissions) to band M. The band is set by the CO2 figure on the V5C logbook.
These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check
ULEZ and clean air zones
- Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
- Hybrids follow the Euro standard of their petrol or diesel engine.
- The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.
The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker
Other years of the Honda Insight
Other Honda models first used in 2009
| Model | Age at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Jazz (2009) | 16 years in 2025 | 35.6% | 23,300 | 42.6% |
| Honda Civic (2009) | 16 years in 2025 | 45.3% | 17,606 | 42.6% |
| Honda CR-V (2009) | 16 years in 2025 | 35.2% | 8,852 | 42.6% |
| Honda Accord (2009) | 16 years in 2025 | 35.9% | 2,766 | 42.6% |
| Honda FR-V (2009) | 16 years in 2025 | 39.9% | 1,115 | 42.6% |
More on the Honda Insight
Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.
These figures describe 2009 Honda Insight cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources
Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.