Hyundai Amica MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 22 model years and 42,722 tests, the Hyundai Amica passes its MOT 74.3% of the time. City cars of a similar age fail 28.3% of the time, so this is 2.6pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Amica years
Ranked across Amica 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: 2008 cars pass 76.4% of the time while 2000 cars manage 66.3%, a 10.2-point spread.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.9% of all tests — 5.8 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, position lamp and wipers — stop lamp alone was recorded 2,490 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 15.9% in the 0-30k band and 31.0% in the 150k+ band, a 15.1-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 30.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 24.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Amica model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,484 | 66.3% | 33.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 2,856 | 70.2% | 29.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 3,308 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 162 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 13,018 | 74.4% | 25.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 14,768 | 76.2% | 23.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 6,105 | 76.4% | 23.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.9% | 6,380 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.2% | 3,918 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.6% | 3,674 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.2% | 3,095 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.2% | 3,075 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.5% | 2,773 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 6.3% | 2,711 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.3% | 557 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 2,490 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,269 |
| 3 | Wipers | 2,191 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,986 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,915 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 1,866 |
| 7 | Exhaust system | 1,509 |
| 8 | Catalyst emissions | 1,495 |
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 | 30.9% | 13,185 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.0% | 12,372 |
| 3 | Suspension | 22.4% | 9,565 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.6% | 6,253 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.8% | 5,027 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 11.7% | 4,985 |
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 | 4,810 | 15.9% |
| 30-60k | 18,209 | 23.8% |
| 60-90k | 14,279 | 29.0% |
| 90-120k | 4,494 | 32.1% |
| 120-150k | 780 | 31.9% |
| 150k+ | 142 | 31.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,820 | 24.6% |
| 2022 | 9,610 | 25.4% |
| 2023 | 8,622 | 26.0% |
| 2024 | 7,384 | 26.4% |
| 2025 | 6,286 | 26.9% |
What to check before buying a Hyundai Amica
- Lighting & signalling (14.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.2% 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.
- Suspension (8.6% 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 Amica?
74.3% of the 42,722 Hyundai Amica MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 25.7% fail rate, across model years 2000–2021.
What does the Hyundai Amica most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.9% of tests, then brakes (9.2%).
Which Amica years are best and worst for MOT results?
2008 has the best pass rate at 76.4% and 2000 the weakest at 66.3%, from 6,105 and 2,484 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Amica MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 31.0% for 150k+, a 15.1-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 42,722 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.