2018 Hyundai Kona — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 36,174 MOT tests, the 2018 Hyundai Kona recorded a 92.1% pass rate. That is 1.9 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 9.9%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.4%) and visibility (3.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 1,245 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.0% once past 120-150k — 4.0× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 7.9% of the time against 8.1% for electric.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.4% | 1,211 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.3% | 1,207 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 893 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 732 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 292 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 130 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,245 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 740 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 654 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 507 |
| 5 | Washers | 229 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 170 |
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 | 23.2% | 8,391 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.9% | 5,388 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.9% | 2,486 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 1,019 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 224 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 152 |
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 | 17,962 | 5.5% |
| 30-60k | 15,232 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 2,649 | 13.1% |
| 90-120k | 266 | 12.4% |
| 120-150k | 50 | 22.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 35,055 | 7.9% |
| Electric | 1,105 | 8.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,129 | 5.5% |
| 2022 | 7,187 | 6.4% |
| 2023 | 7,272 | 8.3% |
| 2024 | 7,233 | 9.3% |
| 2025 | 7,353 | 10.1% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Kona
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.4% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.4% 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 (3.3% 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.
- Brakes (2.5% 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 Konas pass their MOT?
92.1% of the 36,174 2018 Hyundai Kona MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Hyundai Kona?
Tyres, recorded in 3.4% of tests, followed by visibility (3.3%).
Does the 2018 Kona get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.5% in the 0-30k band to 22.0% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 36,174 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.