Hyundai Coupe MOT pass rate & common failures
49,461 MOT tests on the Hyundai Coupe (1996–2020) give it a 68.6% pass rate. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 21.5% of the time, so this is 9.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
Best and worst Coupe years
Ranked across Coupe 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
Not every year is equal — 69.8% of 2008 examples pass against 65.5% of 2003 ones.
One area stands out: brakes, recorded in 19.8% of tests against 14.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), position lamp and service brake performance — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 5,881 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 35.8% versus 14.9%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 37.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Coupe model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 122 | 70.5% | 29.5% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 358 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Brakes |
| 1999 | 326 | 71.5% | 28.5% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 588 | 66.8% | 33.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 940 | 67.1% | 32.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 1,159 | 66.0% | 34.0% | Brakes |
| 2003 | 2,067 | 65.5% | 34.4% | Brakes |
| 2004 | 3,324 | 66.8% | 33.2% | Brakes |
| 2005 | 5,255 | 68.3% | 31.7% | Brakes |
| 2006 | 7,982 | 69.1% | 30.9% | Brakes |
| 2007 | 11,344 | 68.2% | 31.8% | Brakes |
| 2008 | 7,837 | 69.8% | 30.2% | Brakes |
| 2009 | 8,110 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 19.8% | 9,788 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.4% | 7,136 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.6% | 4,769 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.4% | 3,639 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.2% | 3,579 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.0% | 2,980 |
| 7 | Tyres | 5.7% | 2,830 |
| 8 | Steering | 5.1% | 2,544 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 5,881 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,828 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 2,740 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 2,588 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 2,485 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 2,474 |
| 7 | Exhaust system | 2,441 |
| 8 | Rigid brake pipes | 2,191 |
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 | 37.6% | 18,593 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.9% | 15,269 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.4% | 13,033 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.4% | 9,128 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.2% | 8,488 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.7% | 6,266 |
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 | 1,282 | 14.9% |
| 30-60k | 7,897 | 24.8% |
| 60-90k | 17,614 | 31.2% |
| 90-120k | 15,242 | 34.4% |
| 120-150k | 5,661 | 35.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,731 | 35.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,884 | 31.4% |
| 2022 | 11,565 | 31.2% |
| 2023 | 9,720 | 31.5% |
| 2024 | 7,885 | 31.4% |
| 2025 | 6,407 | 31.4% |
What to check before buying a Hyundai Coupe
- Brakes (19.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (14.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.6% 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 Coupe?
68.6% of the 49,461 Hyundai Coupe MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 31.4% fail rate, across model years 1996–2020.
What does the Hyundai Coupe most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 19.8% of tests, then lighting & signalling (14.4%).
Which Coupe years are best and worst for MOT results?
2008 has the best pass rate at 69.8% and 2003 the weakest at 65.5%, from 7,837 and 2,067 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Coupe MOT results?
Fail rates run at 14.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 35.8% for 150k+, a 20.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 49,461 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.