Vauxhall Insignia: common problems, best years and what to check
Cheap big car; Insignia A has one of the lowest survival rates in our list. Covers 2008–2023 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Vauxhall Insignia a good used buy?
Best buy
2017+ Insignia B 1.5T or 1.6/2.0 diesel
Avoid
high-mile Insignia A 2.0 CDTi with DMF/EGR symptoms
Who it suits: Drivers who need a big, comfortable car for not much money.
What's good
- Huge space for the money
- Comfortable on the motorway
- Insignia B is lighter and better
- Cheap to buy used
What's not
- Insignia A diesel EGR and DMF issues
- Heavy depreciation
- Lots of high-mileage ex-fleet cars
- Dull to drive
By the numbers
- #44 most common model on UK roads, with about 170k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2015: 26.7k cars still licensed.
- 2009 cars survive 70% worse than comparable cars — check those harder.
- 2.0 CDTi (A) uses a belt (90k / 6 yrs): budget £450–£700 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: EGR / DPF / DMF (up to £1,800).
Vauxhall Insignia common problems by generation and engine
Vauxhall Insignia Insignia A (2008–2017) · hatch, Sports Tourer
How to spot it: 08 plate to 17 plate. Wing-shaped grille and flowing roofline.
2.0 CDTi 130/160/170 (A20DTH / B20DTH, diesel, 2008–2017)
Common but tired examples
- EGR / DPF / DMF£600–£1,80080k+
- Turbo actuator£400–£90090k+
Faults on any Insignia A (2008–2017) engine
- Electric parking brake faults£200–£600any
- Rear suspension bushes£200–£40080k+
Vauxhall Insignia Insignia B (2017–2022) · Grand Sport, Sports Tourer
How to spot it: 17 plate to 22 plate. Lower and wider with slim headlights.
1.5 Turbo / 1.6 / 2.0 Turbo D (B15 / B16DTH / B20DTH, petrol / diesel, 2017–2022)
Better
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Vauxhall Insignia years
How many Vauxhall Insignias from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. Years that fall off the road faster: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — check these harder.
Vauxhall Insignia MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Vauxhall Insignias pass their MOT first time 3 points less often than the average UK car of the same age (67% vs 70%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 60% | 58% | 114k miles |
| 2010 | 60% | 59% | 115k miles |
| 2011 | 62% | 61% | 116k miles |
| 2012 | 62% | 63% | 118k miles |
| 2013 | 64% | 66% | 114k miles |
| 2014 | 65% | 69% | 112k miles |
| 2015 | 67% | 72% | 101k miles |
| 2016 | 68% | 75% | 88k miles |
| 2017 | 75% | 78% | 78k miles |
| 2018 | 79% | 81% | 69k miles |
| 2019 | 81% | 84% | 65k miles |
| 2020 | 84% | 86% | 49k miles |
| 2021 | 84% | 87% | 42k miles |
| 2022 | 81% | 89% | 33k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Coil spring: fractured or broken6.97 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm5.23 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick4.07 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn3.14 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.62 per 100
- Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps2.43 per 100
- Tyres: has ply or cords exposed2.2 per 100
- Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction2.18 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm33.11 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick12.72 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn12.47 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine10.16 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear10.02 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9.94 per 100
- Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened9.67 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded6.45 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Vauxhall Insignia have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 CDTi (A) | belt | 90k / 6 yrs | £450–£700 |
| 1.6 CDTi (B) | chain | check from 60k | £600–£1,200 |
Vauxhall Insignia running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Vauxhall Insignia ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Vauxhall Insignia vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall Insignia | 170k | 11–30 | 490 l | 2017+ Insignia B 1.5T or 1.6/2.0 diesel |
| Ford Mondeo | 135k | 13–28 | 525 l | 2015+ Mk5 2.0 TDCi estate |
| Volkswagen Passat | 155k | 14–30 | 650 l | 2015–2023 B8 2.0 TDI 150 estate |
| Skoda Superb | 71k | 15–30 | 625 l | 2016+ B8 2.0 TDI 150 estate |
| Peugeot 508 | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Mazda 6 | 50k | 17–27 | 522 l | 2.0 / 2.5 Skyactiv-G |
What to check when buying a used Vauxhall Insignia
- Low survival in DfT data: many ex-fleet cars wore out
- Buy Insignia B over A
Vauxhall Insignia FAQ
›Is the Vauxhall Insignia reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2017+ Insignia B 1.5T or 1.6/2.0 diesel. Avoid: high-mile Insignia A 2.0 CDTi with DMF/EGR symptoms.
›What is the Vauxhall Insignia MOT pass rate?
67% of Vauxhall Insignias passed their MOT first time in 2025 (161,846 tests), below the 70% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: coil spring: fractured or broken.
›What are the most common Vauxhall Insignia problems?
The costliest known faults are EGR / DPF / DMF; Turbo actuator. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Vauxhall Insignia have a timing belt or chain?
2.0 CDTi (A): belt; 1.6 CDTi (B): chain.
›What is the best year Vauxhall Insignia to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2014, 2015, 2016 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Vauxhall Insignia cost to run?
Real-world economy: 2.0 CDTi 48–56 mpg; 1.5 Turbo 38–44 mpg. Insurance groups 11–30. A minor service is about £170–£240 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Vauxhall Insignia?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Vauxhall Insignia ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.