Used car guide

2012 Honda Insight hybrid: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the hybrid Honda Insight first registered in 2012 (hybrid cars only): we looked at the 2,044 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,044MOTs of 2012 hybrid cars, done in 2023–2025
71%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 64%)
9,600typical miles a year
3.7×the usual rate for headlights

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2012 Honda Insight hybrid?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2012 Honda Insight hybrid than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Headlights3.7× usual
    Honda Insight
    14.7% All 2012 cars
    4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.4%, against 2.7% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

  • Wipers1.8× usual
    Honda Insight
    5.3% All 2012 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.2%, against 2% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

Better than most

Coil springs: 1.7% here, against 8.5% of all 2012 cars. Suspension arm bushes and joints: 3.4% here, against 9.1% of all 2012 cars.

Common 2012 Honda Insight hybrid MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2012 Honda Insight hybrid MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Lights and electrics
    29% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    28% 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.

  • Brakes
    27% 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.

  • Suspension
    24% 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 mirrors
    9% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    6% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2012 Honda Insight hybrid

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the headlights? (Flagged at MOT 3.7× as often on the 2012 Honda Insight hybrid as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the wipers? (Flagged at MOT 1.8× as often on the 2012 Honda Insight hybrid as on other cars the same age.)
  3. 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

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2014810Tyres 22%
20131,324Tyres 25%
20115,128Lights and electrics 33%
20108,324Lights and electrics 34%
20096,218Lights and electrics 34%
2002–Too few tests
2001147Suspension 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