1998 Hyundai Coupe — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1998 Hyundai Coupe passed 70.1% of its 358 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 21.7% of the time, so this is 8.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (15.6%) and suspension (13.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and catalyst emissions — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 49 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1998 Coupe fails 32.6% of the time in the 30-60k band and 33.9% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.2 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 36.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 26.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 33.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 15.6% | 56 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.1% | 47 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 11.5% | 41 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.1% | 29 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.0% | 25 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 19 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 49 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 27 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 23 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 21 |
| 5 | Washers | 18 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 17 |
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 | 36.9% | 132 |
| 2 | Suspension | 31.3% | 112 |
| 3 | Tyres | 25.4% | 91 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.6% | 70 |
| 5 | Other defects | 13.7% | 49 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.7% | 42 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 98 | 32.6% |
| 60-90k | 123 | 29.3% |
| 90-120k | 65 | 33.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 103 | 26.2% |
| 2022 | 79 | 32.9% |
| 2023 | 69 | 30.4% |
| 2024 | 56 | 28.6% |
| 2025 | 51 | 33.3% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Coupe
On a 1998 Coupe, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 15.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (15.6% 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 (13.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 1998 Hyundai Coupes pass their MOT?
70.1% of the 358 1998 Hyundai Coupe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Hyundai Coupe?
Brakes, recorded in 15.6% of tests, followed by suspension (13.1%).
Does the 1998 Coupe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 32.6% in the 30-60k band to 33.9% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 358 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.