2019 Hyundai i40 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Hyundai i40 passed 89.8% of its 2,147 recorded MOT tests. Against large family cars of a similar age (11.5% fail rate), the 2019 i40 comes out 1.2pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.9%) and lighting & signalling (3.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 65 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 13.5% once past 120-150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 12.9% in 2021 to 9.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.9% | 106 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 76 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.1% | 66 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.6% | 55 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 40 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 11 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 65 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 59 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 54 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 38 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 32 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 32 |
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 | 22.5% | 483 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.1% | 368 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.3% | 156 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.7% | 80 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 30 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 29 |
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 | 500 | 7.0% |
| 30-60k | 828 | 10.1% |
| 60-90k | 515 | 12.4% |
| 90-120k | 203 | 11.8% |
| 120-150k | 74 | 13.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,990 | 10.3% |
| Petrol | 157 | 8.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 31 | 12.9% |
| 2022 | 531 | 9.4% |
| 2023 | 537 | 10.4% |
| 2024 | 542 | 11.1% |
| 2025 | 506 | 9.9% |
What to check before buying a 2019 i40
On a 2019 i40, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2019 Hyundai i40s pass their MOT?
89.8% of the 2,147 2019 Hyundai i40 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Hyundai i40?
Tyres, recorded in 4.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.5%).
Does the 2019 i40 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.0% in the 0-30k band to 13.5% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,147 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.