2018 Vauxhall Insignia — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 73,766 MOT tests analysed for the 2018 Vauxhall Insignia, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, brakes and visibility. Its pass rate of 87.1% was in line with the average for large family cars of a similar age (87.6%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 20.2% in the 150k+ group versus 8.4% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.7% | 4,211 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.0% | 2,980 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.6% | 2,686 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 2,218 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.7% | 2,013 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.0% | 719 |
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 | 3,000 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,711 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,077 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,777 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,536 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 724 |
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 | 23.9% | 17,614 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.1% | 14,124 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.0% | 5,166 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 2,799 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.3% | 1,702 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 1,668 |
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 | 14,232 | 8.4% |
| 30-60k | 32,765 | 12.5% |
| 60-90k | 18,158 | 15.3% |
| 90-120k | 6,158 | 16.3% |
| 120-150k | 1,744 | 15.8% |
| 150k+ | 689 | 20.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 47,804 | 14.3% |
| Petrol | 25,962 | 10.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,109 | 11.2% |
| 2022 | 15,099 | 13.0% |
| 2023 | 14,683 | 12.7% |
| 2024 | 14,361 | 12.9% |
| 2025 | 14,514 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Insignia
Before buying a 2018 Vauxhall Insignia, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 5.7% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (5.7% 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 (4.0% 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 (3.6% 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 2018 Vauxhall Insignias pass their MOT?
87.1% of the 73,766 2018 Vauxhall Insignia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Vauxhall Insignia?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by brakes (4.0%).
Does the 2018 Insignia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.4% in the 0-30k band to 20.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 73,766 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.