2021 Hyundai Ioniq — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Hyundai Ioniq passed 92.3% of its 30,762 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 8.1%, so the 2021 Ioniq sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.9%) and visibility (3.6%) 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 tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 1,148 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 Ioniq fails 6.1% of the time in the 0-30k band and 6.3% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.2 points.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 2.1pp more often than electric ones (8.6% vs 6.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 17.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 2.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.9% | 1,201 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.6% | 1,122 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.2% | 973 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.1% | 355 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 70 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.2% | 55 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,148 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 819 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 648 |
| 4 | Headlamp levelling device | 288 |
| 5 | Washers | 277 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 171 |
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 | 17.9% | 5,509 |
| 2 | Other defects | 4.4% | 1,366 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 1,364 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 784 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 229 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 112 |
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 | 11,793 | 6.1% |
| 30-60k | 13,336 | 8.7% |
| 60-90k | 4,068 | 8.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,150 | 7.8% |
| 120-150k | 320 | 10.6% |
| 150k+ | 95 | 6.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 17,304 | 8.6% |
| Electric | 13,448 | 6.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 86 | 2.3% |
| 2022 | 714 | 3.9% |
| 2023 | 2,459 | 7.5% |
| 2024 | 14,035 | 8.0% |
| 2025 | 13,468 | 7.5% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Ioniq
On a 2021 Ioniq, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (3.9% 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.
- Visibility (3.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2021 Hyundai Ioniqs pass their MOT?
92.3% of the 30,762 2021 Hyundai Ioniq MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Hyundai Ioniq?
Tyres, recorded in 3.9% of tests, followed by visibility (3.6%).
Does the 2021 Ioniq get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.1% in the 0-30k band to 6.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 30,762 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.