1999 Hyundai Coupe — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 326 MOT tests, the 1999 Hyundai Coupe recorded a 71.5% pass rate. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (22.1% fail rate), the 1999 Coupe comes out 6.4pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (15.0%) and lighting & signalling (12.9%) 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, catalyst emissions and service brake performance — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 41 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 35.5% versus 23.7%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 32.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 15.0% | 49 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.9% | 42 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.3% | 40 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.5% | 31 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.1% | 20 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 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 | 41 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 28 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 22 |
| 4 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 17 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 16 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 16 |
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 | 32.8% | 107 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.0% | 88 |
| 3 | Tyres | 19.6% | 64 |
| 4 | Other defects | 16.3% | 53 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.8% | 45 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 12.0% | 39 |
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 | 93 | 23.7% |
| 60-90k | 99 | 30.3% |
| 90-120k | 62 | 37.1% |
| 120-150k | 31 | 35.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 94 | 27.7% |
| 2022 | 78 | 33.3% |
| 2023 | 65 | 27.7% |
| 2024 | 48 | 25.0% |
| 2025 | 41 | 26.8% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Coupe
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 15.0% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (15.0% 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 (12.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.3% 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
How many 1999 Hyundai Coupes pass their MOT?
71.5% of the 326 1999 Hyundai Coupe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Hyundai Coupe?
Brakes, recorded in 15.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.9%).
Does the 1999 Coupe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.7% in the 30-60k band to 35.5% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 326 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.