2011 Hyundai i30 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 60,841 MOT tests, the 2011 Hyundai i30 recorded a 74.3% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (22.8% fail rate), the 2011 i30 comes out 2.9pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.3% of tests against 11.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, position lamp and headlamp — stop lamp alone was recorded 5,534 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 30.4% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 24.0% fail against 27.1% for diesel, a 3.1-point gap across 60,841 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 23.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.3% | 11,760 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.5% | 6,966 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.7% | 6,492 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.9% | 3,584 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.9% | 2,983 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.1% | 1,913 |
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 | 5,534 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 4,259 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 2,713 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 2,565 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 2,472 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 2,288 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 28.8% | 17,538 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.6% | 16,781 |
| 3 | Suspension | 27.2% | 16,565 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 16.1% | 9,810 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.8% | 7,168 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.3% | 3,842 |
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 | 1,869 | 14.1% |
| 30-60k | 12,345 | 20.9% |
| 60-90k | 21,185 | 25.5% |
| 90-120k | 15,518 | 28.1% |
| 120-150k | 6,736 | 30.3% |
| 150k+ | 3,181 | 30.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 32,899 | 27.1% |
| Petrol | 27,942 | 24.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,662 | 23.3% |
| 2022 | 12,706 | 24.6% |
| 2023 | 12,439 | 26.2% |
| 2024 | 11,866 | 27.1% |
| 2025 | 11,168 | 27.6% |
What to check before buying a 2011 i30
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 19.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (19.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.5% 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 2011 Hyundai i30s pass their MOT?
74.3% of the 60,841 2011 Hyundai i30 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Hyundai i30?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.3% of tests, followed by suspension (11.5%).
Does the 2011 i30 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.1% in the 0-30k band to 30.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 60,841 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.