2006 Hyundai Sonata — MOT failures & pass rate
830 MOT tests on the 2006 Hyundai Sonata are in this dataset, and 74.1% of them passed. That is 1.4 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.5% of tests against 11.8% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, position lamp and service brake performance — stop lamp alone was recorded 71 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 19.4% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 27.8% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 35.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 26.7% in 2021 to 22.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.5% | 137 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.8% | 98 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.2% | 68 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.6% | 55 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.9% | 49 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.0% | 33 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 71 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 43 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 42 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 40 |
| 5 | Wipers | 34 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 34 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 35.9% | 298 |
| 2 | Brakes | 30.1% | 250 |
| 3 | Tyres | 29.9% | 248 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 21.4% | 178 |
| 5 | Other defects | 16.9% | 140 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 13.6% | 113 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 103 | 19.4% |
| 60-90k | 314 | 26.4% |
| 90-120k | 236 | 27.5% |
| 120-150k | 126 | 28.6% |
| 150k+ | 36 | 27.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 485 | 22.9% |
| Diesel | 341 | 30.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 232 | 26.7% |
| 2022 | 189 | 26.5% |
| 2023 | 158 | 25.3% |
| 2024 | 136 | 27.2% |
| 2025 | 115 | 22.6% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Sonata
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 16.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (16.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.8% 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.
- Suspension (8.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 2006 Hyundai Sonatas pass their MOT?
74.1% of the 830 2006 Hyundai Sonata MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Hyundai Sonata?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.5% of tests, followed by brakes (11.8%).
Does the 2006 Sonata get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.4% in the 30-60k band to 27.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 830 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.