2018 Hyundai Ioniq — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 47,549 MOT tests, the 2018 Hyundai Ioniq recorded a 91.4% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail 10.4% of the time, so this is 1.8pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.1%) and lighting & signalling (3.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 1,229 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 11.5% versus 6.0%.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 1.7pp more often than electric ones (8.7% vs 7.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 18.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 6.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.1% | 1,944 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 1,697 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.8% | 1,323 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 1,284 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 232 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 179 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,229 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,212 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 641 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 520 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 517 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 399 |
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 | 18.6% | 8,849 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.7% | 4,142 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.5% | 2,116 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.4% | 1,137 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 668 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.2% | 565 |
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 | 10,622 | 6.0% |
| 30-60k | 17,175 | 8.7% |
| 60-90k | 9,449 | 9.8% |
| 90-120k | 4,892 | 9.4% |
| 120-150k | 2,712 | 10.1% |
| 150k+ | 2,698 | 11.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 45,204 | 8.7% |
| Electric | 2,295 | 7.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,249 | 6.6% |
| 2022 | 9,474 | 7.4% |
| 2023 | 9,615 | 8.9% |
| 2024 | 9,587 | 9.9% |
| 2025 | 9,624 | 10.3% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Ioniq
On a 2018 Ioniq, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.1% 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 (3.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.8% 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 2018 Hyundai Ioniqs pass their MOT?
91.4% of the 47,549 2018 Hyundai Ioniq MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq?
Tyres, recorded in 4.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.6%).
Does the 2018 Ioniq get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.0% in the 0-30k band to 11.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 47,549 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.