2016 Hyundai i30 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 57,131 MOT tests, the 2016 Hyundai i30 recorded an 83.4% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (13.7% fail rate), the 2016 i30 comes out 2.9pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.2%) and brakes (7.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, rbt (sp) and tread depth — stop lamp alone was recorded 2,547 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.3% in the 0-30k band and 22.8% in the 150k+ band, a 13.4-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.0pp more often than petrol ones (18.0% vs 14.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 4,663 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.4% | 4,256 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.9% | 3,368 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.3% | 1,881 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.8% | 1,597 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 459 |
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 | 2,547 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 2,172 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,109 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,531 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,474 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,433 |
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 | 26.2% | 14,983 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.3% | 12,161 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.2% | 4,708 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.5% | 4,311 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 2,131 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.1% | 1,752 |
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 | 6,548 | 9.3% |
| 30-60k | 26,532 | 14.8% |
| 60-90k | 16,655 | 19.8% |
| 90-120k | 5,258 | 21.9% |
| 120-150k | 1,410 | 23.1% |
| 150k+ | 725 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 35,928 | 18.0% |
| Petrol | 21,203 | 14.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,258 | 13.7% |
| 2022 | 11,258 | 14.5% |
| 2023 | 11,482 | 16.5% |
| 2024 | 11,584 | 18.4% |
| 2025 | 11,549 | 19.6% |
What to check before buying a 2016 i30
On a 2016 i30, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.4% 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.
- Tyres (5.9% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2016 Hyundai i30s pass their MOT?
83.4% of the 57,131 2016 Hyundai i30 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Hyundai i30?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.2% of tests, followed by brakes (7.4%).
Does the 2016 i30 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.3% in the 0-30k band to 22.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 57,131 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.