2013 Hyundai i30 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Hyundai i30 passed 74.6% of its 69,795 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 19.4% of the time, so this is 6.0pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and steering.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (12.4%) and lighting & signalling (10.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, rbt (sp) and parking brake performance — track rod end alone was recorded 7,221 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 30.5% once past 150k — 2.5× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 23.9% fail against 26.3% for diesel, a 2.4-point gap across 69,789 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 22.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 12.4% | 8,676 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 7,568 |
| 3 | Steering | 9.4% | 6,574 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.9% | 4,149 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.9% | 3,385 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.7% | 3,277 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 7,221 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 5,542 |
| 3 | Parking brake performance | 2,921 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 2,405 |
| 5 | Washers | 2,161 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 2,154 |
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 | 26.9% | 18,806 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.8% | 15,891 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.7% | 10,954 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.3% | 7,151 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 9.4% | 6,585 |
| 6 | Steering | 6.9% | 4,818 |
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 | 1,827 | 12.3% |
| 30-60k | 15,971 | 19.3% |
| 60-90k | 26,387 | 26.1% |
| 90-120k | 16,658 | 29.1% |
| 120-150k | 6,097 | 29.5% |
| 150k+ | 2,850 | 30.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 42,292 | 26.3% |
| Petrol | 27,497 | 23.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,938 | 22.6% |
| 2022 | 14,076 | 24.6% |
| 2023 | 14,178 | 26.0% |
| 2024 | 14,102 | 27.2% |
| 2025 | 13,501 | 26.6% |
What to check before buying a 2013 i30
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 12.4% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (12.4% 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 (10.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Steering (9.4% of tests): Play, leaks or worn track rod ends — affects handling and is a safety item. Typical repair: £150–£500.
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 2013 Hyundai i30s pass their MOT?
74.6% of the 69,795 2013 Hyundai i30 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Hyundai i30?
Brakes, recorded in 12.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.8%).
Does the 2013 i30 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.3% in the 0-30k band to 30.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 69,795 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.