2016 Hyundai Ix35 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Hyundai Ix35 passed 83.9% of its 1,912 recorded MOT tests. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (13.7% fail rate), the 2016 Ix35 comes out 2.4pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: brakes, recorded in 8.3% of tests against 4.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tread depth and wipers — brake pads alone was recorded 71 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.3% versus 8.8%.
The diesel cars hold up better: 14.4% fail against 17.9% for petrol, a 3.5-point gap across 1,912 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 8.3% | 159 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.9% | 94 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 76 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.9% | 75 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.3% | 43 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 19 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 71 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 56 |
| 3 | Wipers | 55 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 53 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 46 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 46 |
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 | 26.5% | 506 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.6% | 451 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.3% | 158 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.2% | 157 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 58 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 55 |
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 | 307 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 920 | 14.5% |
| 60-90k | 520 | 20.2% |
| 90-120k | 123 | 25.2% |
| 120-150k | 33 | 30.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 985 | 14.4% |
| Petrol | 927 | 17.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 387 | 12.9% |
| 2022 | 382 | 16.0% |
| 2023 | 377 | 14.6% |
| 2024 | 399 | 20.3% |
| 2025 | 367 | 16.6% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Ix35
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 8.3% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (8.3% 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 (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 (4.0% 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 2016 Hyundai Ix35s pass their MOT?
83.9% of the 1,912 2016 Hyundai Ix35 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Hyundai Ix35?
Brakes, recorded in 8.3% of tests, followed by tyres (4.9%).
Does the 2016 Ix35 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 30.3% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,912 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.