2012 Honda Insight electric: common problems and MOT failures
What MOT testers find on the electric Honda Insight first registered in 2012 (electric cars only): we looked at the 464 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.
Small sample: there were only 464 MOTs of these cars during 2023–2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.
What goes wrong more than usual on a 2012 Honda Insight electric?
Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2012 Honda Insight electric than on all cars registered in 2012.
- Headlights3.1× usualHonda Insight12.3% All 2012 cars4%
Failed outright at MOT: 4.1%, against 2.7% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.
Rough price £40–£400 our estimateAt the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.
Common 2012 Honda Insight electric MOT failures and advisories
The share of 2012 Honda Insight electric MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.
- Tyres31% of testsRough price £70–£150
At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.
- Brakes28% of testsRough price £150–£350
At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.
- Lights and electrics25% of testsRough price £10–£80
At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
- Suspension25% of testsRough price £120–£400
At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.
- Wipers, windscreen and mirrors7% of testsRough price £15–£250
At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.
- Rust and bodywork4% of testsRough price £150–£1,000
At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.
Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2012 Honda Insight electric
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- Any recent work on the headlights? (Flagged at MOT 3.1× as often on the 2012 Honda Insight electric as on other cars the same age.)
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Honda Insight?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Other years
Every year of the Honda Insight compared
| Year | MOT tests | Most flagged |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 810 | Tyres 22% |
| 2013 | 1,324 | Tyres 25% |
| 2011 | 5,128 | Lights and electrics 33% |
| 2010 | 8,324 | Lights and electrics 34% |
| 2009 | 6,218 | Lights and electrics 34% |
| 2002 | – | Too few tests |
| 2001 | 147 | Suspension 41% |
| 2000 | – | Too few tests |
Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Honda Insight cars first registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score