2017 Hyundai Kona — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2017 Hyundai Kona passed 92.0% of its 2,266 recorded MOT tests. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 11.9% of the time, so this is 3.9pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (3.4%) and tyres (3.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, wipers and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 52 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 13.9% once past 60-90k — 2.5× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 3.4% | 77 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.0% | 68 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.4% | 55 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 45 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 15 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 6 |
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 | 52 |
| 2 | Wipers | 51 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 33 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 33 |
| 5 | Washers | 16 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 11 |
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 | 24.9% | 565 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.6% | 400 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.1% | 183 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.4% | 77 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 13 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.4% | 10 |
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 | 870 | 5.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,140 | 8.6% |
| 60-90k | 231 | 13.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 446 | 5.6% |
| 2022 | 440 | 6.1% |
| 2023 | 455 | 7.9% |
| 2024 | 454 | 9.0% |
| 2025 | 471 | 11.3% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Kona
On a 2017 Kona, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (3.4% 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 (3.0% 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 (2.4% 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 2017 Hyundai Konas pass their MOT?
92.0% of the 2,266 2017 Hyundai Kona MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Hyundai Kona?
Brakes, recorded in 3.4% of tests, followed by tyres (3.0%).
Does the 2017 Kona get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.5% in the 0-30k band to 13.9% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,266 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.