2000 Hyundai Accent — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2000 Hyundai Accent passed 69.6% of its 839 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as superminis of a similar age (29.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (16.3%) and brakes (16.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, headlamp aim and wipers — service brake performance alone was recorded 68 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.3% versus 16.3%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 37.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 32.9% in 2021 to 25.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.3% | 137 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.2% | 136 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.6% | 89 |
| 4 | Suspension | 10.3% | 86 |
| 5 | Visibility | 10.3% | 86 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 55 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 68 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 61 |
| 3 | Wipers | 58 |
| 4 | Joints | 56 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 55 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 48 |
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 | 37.0% | 310 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.6% | 223 |
| 3 | Tyres | 25.6% | 215 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 24.0% | 201 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 20.3% | 170 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 16.0% | 134 |
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 | 49 | 16.3% |
| 30-60k | 334 | 28.7% |
| 60-90k | 281 | 33.1% |
| 90-120k | 141 | 33.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 277 | 32.9% |
| 2022 | 206 | 26.7% |
| 2023 | 159 | 31.4% |
| 2024 | 119 | 32.8% |
| 2025 | 78 | 25.6% |
What to check before buying a 2000 Accent
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 16.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (16.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (16.2% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.6% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2000 Hyundai Accents pass their MOT?
69.6% of the 839 2000 Hyundai Accent MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2000 Hyundai Accent?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.3% of tests, followed by brakes (16.2%).
Does the 2000 Accent get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.3% in the 0-30k band to 33.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 839 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.