Pass rate, every year
68.8% Below average
567 tests across 6 model years, 2001–2006.
−12.2 pts vs the national average
Hyundai Elantra MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2006 72.3%
The strongest of the 6 years on record. See the 2006 page →
Worst year to buy
2005 67.1%
5.2 points below the 2006 peak. See the 2005 page →
The Hyundai Elantra MOT pass rate is 68.8%, −12.2 percentage points below the UK average. That is 567 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2001 and 2006. This page lists the most common Hyundai Elantra MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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Hyundai Elantra MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Hyundai Elantra passed on its first attempt in 59.3%, and its overall record sits −12.2 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Hyundai Elantra in the 2023–2025 data: 567 tests across 6 model years (2001–2006). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 567 |
| Overall pass rate | 68.8% |
| Passed on first attempt | 59.3% |
| Average mileage at test | 91,646 mi |
| Model years covered | 2001–2006 (6 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −12.2 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Hyundai Elantra MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Hyundai Elantra, the Brakes section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Brakes | 30% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 29% |
| Suspension | 14% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 13% |
| Visibility | 11% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 3% |
Shares are over the Hyundai Elantra's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Brakes
Around 30% of the recorded Hyundai Elantra failures fall in the Brakes section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (8.6%), "Service brake performance excessively binding" (2.8%), "Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault" (2.3%) among the Hyundai Elantra's brakes faults.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 29% of the recorded Hyundai Elantra failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (6.5%), "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (4.4%), "Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect" (3.5%) among the Hyundai Elantra's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Suspension
Around 14% of the recorded Hyundai Elantra failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (5.1%), "Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (1.1%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (0.9%) among the Hyundai Elantra's suspension faults.
Top Recorded Hyundai Elantra DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Hyundai Elantra, each with how many of the model's 567 tests it was noted on.
- "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" (Major) — noted on about 49 Hyundai Elantra tests, 8.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 37 Hyundai Elantra tests, 6.5% of the model's MOT record.
- "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (Major) — noted on about 29 Hyundai Elantra tests, 5.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 29 Hyundai Elantra tests, 5.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 25 Hyundai Elantra tests, 4.4% of the model's MOT record.
- "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 24 Hyundai Elantra tests, 4.2% of the model's MOT record.
Best and Worst Hyundai Elantra Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Hyundai Elantra model year on record is 2006 (72.3% across 65 tests), and the weakest is 2005 (67.1%). The gap between them is 5.2 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Elantra | 65 | 72.3% |
| 2005 Elantra | 146 | 67.1% |
| 2004 Elantra | 95 | 67.4% |
| 2003 Elantra | 90 | 70.0% |
| 2002 Elantra | 96 | 67.7% |
| 2001 Elantra | 75 | 70.7% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Hyundai Elantra Owners
These checks follow this Hyundai Elantra's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Hyundai Elantra.
-
the lights — “headlamp lens slightly defective”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
-
corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”
Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Hyundai Elantra. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Hyundai Elantra MOT & Reliability
What is the Hyundai Elantra MOT pass rate?
68.8% of the 567 recorded Hyundai Elantra MOT tests ended in a pass, −12.2 percentage points below the national average. 59.3% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Hyundai Elantra model years pass the MOT most often?
2006 is the strongest Hyundai Elantra year on record at 72.3%, while 2005 is the weakest at 67.1%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Hyundai Elantra MOT failures?
The most recorded Hyundai Elantra failures are "Rbt (sp) efficiency below requirements" and "Headlamp lens slightly defective" — together around 15% of tests, mostly in the Brakes section.