2010 Hyundai i30 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Hyundai i30 passed 72.7% of its 71,463 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.1 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.2%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 18.1% of all tests — 4.2 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, position lamp and linkage ball joints — stop lamp alone was recorded 5,999 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.3% once past 150k — 2.0× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.6pp more often than petrol ones (28.2% vs 26.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 36.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 25.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.1% | 12,933 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.9% | 9,954 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.7% | 7,616 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.2% | 4,421 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.7% | 3,345 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.5% | 2,469 |
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 | 5,999 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 4,352 |
| 3 | Linkage ball joints | 3,541 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 3,132 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 3,091 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 2,938 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 36.1% | 25,833 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.0% | 20,725 |
| 3 | Brakes | 28.0% | 19,979 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 13.2% | 9,434 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.7% | 9,057 |
| 6 | Steering | 7.5% | 5,381 |
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 | 1,863 | 16.0% |
| 30-60k | 12,284 | 21.2% |
| 60-90k | 23,430 | 27.0% |
| 90-120k | 20,513 | 29.6% |
| 120-150k | 9,320 | 31.1% |
| 150k+ | 3,997 | 32.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 41,103 | 26.6% |
| Diesel | 30,359 | 28.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,521 | 25.7% |
| 2022 | 15,081 | 26.1% |
| 2023 | 14,736 | 28.0% |
| 2024 | 13,816 | 28.8% |
| 2025 | 12,309 | 28.5% |
What to check before buying a 2010 i30
On a 2010 i30, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 18.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (18.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (13.9% 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.
- Brakes (10.7% 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.
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 2010 Hyundai i30s pass their MOT?
72.7% of the 71,463 2010 Hyundai i30 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Hyundai i30?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.1% of tests, followed by suspension (13.9%).
Does the 2010 i30 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.0% in the 0-30k band to 32.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 71,463 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.