Hyundai Trajet MOT pass rate & common failures
3,639 MOT tests on the Hyundai Trajet (2000–2018) give it a 68.3% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 27.5% of the time, so this is 4.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (19.1%) and lighting & signalling (18.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, headlamp and headlamp aim — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 369 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 22.7% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 36.1% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 30.0% fail against 33.5% for diesel, a 3.5-point gap across 3,639 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 35.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 32.4% in 2021 to 30.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Trajet model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 99 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 218 | 67.9% | 32.1% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 411 | 68.1% | 31.9% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 684 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 1,162 | 67.6% | 32.4% | Suspension |
| 2006 | 969 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 60 | 65.0% | 35.0% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 19.1% | 695 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 18.1% | 659 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.7% | 427 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.5% | 308 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.7% | 280 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.9% | 213 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 5.4% | 195 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.1% | 113 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 369 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 220 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 215 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 204 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 192 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 173 |
| 7 | Washers | 171 |
| 8 | Ball joint | 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 | Brakes | 35.6% | 1,296 |
| 2 | Suspension | 35.5% | 1,293 |
| 3 | Tyres | 29.0% | 1,056 |
| 4 | Other defects | 21.2% | 770 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 17.5% | 636 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 15.6% | 569 |
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 | 238 | 22.7% |
| 60-90k | 971 | 29.4% |
| 90-120k | 1,298 | 31.7% |
| 120-150k | 720 | 36.0% |
| 150k+ | 388 | 36.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,930 | 30.0% |
| Diesel | 1,709 | 33.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,230 | 32.4% |
| 2022 | 919 | 30.9% |
| 2023 | 683 | 32.4% |
| 2024 | 474 | 30.8% |
| 2025 | 333 | 30.9% |
What to check before buying a Hyundai Trajet
- Suspension (19.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (18.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.7% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Hyundai Trajet?
68.3% of the 3,639 Hyundai Trajet MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 31.7% fail rate, across model years 2000–2018.
What does the Hyundai Trajet most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 19.1% of tests, then lighting & signalling (18.1%).
How much does mileage affect Trajet MOT results?
Fail rates run at 22.7% for cars in the 30-60k band and 36.1% for 150k+, a 13.4-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Trajet more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 30.0% of the time against 33.5% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,639 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.