Hyundai Accent MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 29 model years and 14,622 tests, the Hyundai Accent passes its MOT 71.3% of the time. Superminis of a similar age fail at 28.7%, so the Accent sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Accent years
Ranked across Accent years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2007 cars pass 75.1% of the time while 2001 cars manage 67.4%, a 7.8-point spread.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.0% of tests against 12.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, headlamp aim and position lamp — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 949 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 34.9% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 39.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Accent model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 44 | 63.6% | 36.4% | Suspension |
| 1996 | 146 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 288 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 444 | 70.5% | 29.5% | Suspension |
| 1999 | 518 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 839 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 1,128 | 67.4% | 32.6% | Brakes |
| 2002 | 2,104 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 1,135 | 69.1% | 30.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 1,515 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 2,156 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 1,681 | 72.2% | 27.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 1,614 | 75.1% | 24.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 803 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 130 | 75.4% | 24.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.0% | 2,343 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.7% | 1,857 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.2% | 1,642 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.0% | 1,322 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.5% | 1,096 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.6% | 824 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 4.9% | 709 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.8% | 269 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 949 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 900 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 846 |
| 4 | Wipers | 792 |
| 5 | Joints | 785 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 773 |
| 7 | Service brake performance | 736 |
| 8 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 653 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 39.4% | 5,755 |
| 2 | Suspension | 31.7% | 4,635 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.9% | 4,227 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.7% | 2,729 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.9% | 2,473 |
| 6 | Other defects | 16.2% | 2,362 |
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 | 694 | 16.9% |
| 30-60k | 4,306 | 23.8% |
| 60-90k | 5,578 | 30.0% |
| 90-120k | 2,893 | 33.9% |
| 120-150k | 862 | 34.0% |
| 150k+ | 281 | 34.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 14,415 | 28.6% |
| Diesel | 203 | 32.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,360 | 28.8% |
| 2022 | 3,473 | 28.5% |
| 2023 | 2,754 | 27.6% |
| 2024 | 2,278 | 30.1% |
| 2025 | 1,757 | 28.7% |
What to check before buying a Hyundai Accent
- Lighting & signalling (16.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.7% 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.
- Suspension (11.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Hyundai Accent?
71.3% of the 14,622 Hyundai Accent MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 28.7% fail rate, across model years 1994–2022.
What does the Hyundai Accent most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.0% of tests, then brakes (12.7%).
Which Accent years are best and worst for MOT results?
2007 has the best pass rate at 75.1% and 2001 the weakest at 67.4%, from 1,614 and 1,128 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Accent MOT results?
Fail rates run at 16.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.9% for 150k+, a 18.0-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 14,622 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.