MOT performance
Vauxhall Insignia vs Volkswagen Passat: MOT pass rates compared
In 2023–2024, 68.1% of 417,125 Vauxhall Insignia MOT tests and 70.8% of 396,126 Volkswagen Passat tests passed first time — 2.7 points in favour of the Volkswagen Passat. Once age, mileage and fuel are allowed for, the Volkswagen Passat fails less often than the Vauxhall Insignia: 0.85× against 1.01× the national rate for comparable cars.
417,125 Vauxhall Insignia and 396,126 Volkswagen Passat MOT tests, 2023–2024
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| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall Insignia: first-time pass rate | 68.1% | ±0.1 pts (95%), n = 417,125 |
| Volkswagen Passat: first-time pass rate | 70.8% | ±0.1 pts (95%), n = 396,126 |
| Vauxhall Insignia: failures vs similar cars | +1% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Volkswagen Passat: failures vs similar cars | -15% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Vauxhall Insignia: dangerous defect | 10.6% | n = 417,125 |
| Volkswagen Passat: dangerous defect | 9.5% | n = 396,126 |
| Average age at test | 9 vs 10.6 years | Vauxhall Insignia vs Volkswagen Passat |
Why the raw pass rates can mislead
The Volkswagen Passat was tested at an older average age (10.6 years against 9), and older cars fail more often whatever they are. That is why the table above also shows failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel: it compares the models, not their fleets.
Failure areas side by side
Share of MOT tests that failed on each area, and in brackets how that compares with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel (1.00 = national average). The clearest difference is seat belts and airbags, where the Volkswagen Passat fails 2.7 times as often on an adjusted basis.
| Area | Vauxhall Insignia | Volkswagen Passat |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 6.9% (-7%) | 5.4% (-41%) |
| Steering | 0.5% (-80%) | 0.8% (-71%) |
| Suspension | 11.3% (+9%) | 11.5% (-7%) |
| Tyres | 8.7% (+15%) | 8.7% (+15%) |
| Road wheels | 0.5% (-6%) | 0.4% (-28%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 10.9% (-11%) | 8.8% (-39%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 2.5% (-29%) | 4.2% (-16%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 4.2% (-10%) | 2.9% (-45%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.5% (+7%) | 3.9% (Same) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.4% (-59%) | 1.7% (+10%) |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.3% (-16%) | 0.4% (-15%) |
| Speedometer and driving controls | 0.0% (-6%) | 0.0% (-54%) |
Pass rate at the same age
Comparing cars of the same age removes most of the fleet-age effect from the raw rates.
| Age at test | Vauxhall Insignia | Volkswagen Passat |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 years | 82.3% (n = 23,079) | 86.8% (n = 28,588) |
| 5-6 years | 77.2% (n = 59,776) | 83.9% (n = 48,703) |
| 7-8 years | 68.9% (n = 97,524) | 78.7% (n = 61,928) |
| 9-10 years | 65.9% (n = 96,642) | 71.2% (n = 55,593) |
| 11-12 years | 63.7% (n = 87,016) | 65.8% (n = 60,044) |
| 13-15 years | 60.6% (n = 51,327) | 62.1% (n = 71,652) |
Most common failure item
- Vauxhall Insignia · coil spring: fractured or broken (6.85% of tests)
- Volkswagen Passat · tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (3.41% of tests)
MOT results reflect how cars are maintained as well as how they are built, so a gap between two models is a difference in test performance, not proof that one is more reliable. For one car, its own MOT history says more than any average.
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UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.