2021 Hyundai Santa-Fe — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Hyundai Santa-Fe passed 92.2% of its 2,023 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.1 percentage points better than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 8.9%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.8%) and visibility (2.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, shock absorbers and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 55 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2021 Santa-Fe fails 6.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 8.7% at 60-90k, a spread of only 2.1 points.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 5.0% fail against 11.3% for diesel, a 6.4-point gap across 1,998 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.8% | 57 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.6% | 53 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 40 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.8% | 36 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 20 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.7% | 15 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 55 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 39 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 31 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 24 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 19 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 18 |
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 | 18.7% | 378 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.0% | 141 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.0% | 141 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.2% | 85 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 52 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 51 |
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 | 869 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,003 | 8.4% |
| 60-90k | 127 | 8.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 1,152 | 5.0% |
| Diesel | 846 | 11.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 978 | 7.9% |
| 2025 | 996 | 7.5% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Santa-Fe
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 2.8% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (2.8% 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 (2.6% 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 (2.0% 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 2021 Hyundai Santa-Fes pass their MOT?
92.2% of the 2,023 2021 Hyundai Santa-Fe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Hyundai Santa-Fe?
Tyres, recorded in 2.8% of tests, followed by visibility (2.6%).
Does the 2021 Santa-Fe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 8.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,023 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.