Pass rate, every year
91.4% Above average
119,437 tests across 7 model years, 2017–2023.
+10.4 pts vs the national average
Hyundai Kona MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2023 92.9%
The strongest of the 7 years on record. See the 2023 page →
Worst year to buy
2017 90.4%
2.5 points below the 2023 peak. See the 2017 page →
The Hyundai Kona MOT pass rate is 91.4%, +10.4 percentage points above the UK average. That is 119,437 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2017 and 2023. This page lists the most common Hyundai Kona 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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MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Hyundai Kona MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
Hyundai Kona MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Hyundai Kona passed on its first attempt in 90.6%, and its overall record sits +10.4 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Hyundai Kona in the 2023–2025 data: 119,437 tests across 7 model years (2017–2023). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 119,437 |
| Overall pass rate | 91.4% |
| Passed on first attempt | 90.6% |
| Average mileage at test | 33,654 mi |
| Model years covered | 2017–2023 (7 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +10.4 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Hyundai Kona MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Hyundai Kona, the Visibility 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 |
|---|---|
| Visibility | 49% |
| Tyres | 32% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 10% |
| Brakes | 5% |
| Suspension | 2% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1% |
Shares are over the Hyundai Kona's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Visibility
Around 49% of the recorded Hyundai Kona failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (2.6%), "Wipers blade defective" (1.6%), "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (1.1%) among the Hyundai Kona's visibility faults.
Tyres
Around 32% of the recorded Hyundai Kona failures fall in the Tyres section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (1.7%), "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (1.0%), "Has ply or cords exposed" (0.8%) among the Hyundai Kona's tyres faults.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 10% of the recorded Hyundai Kona failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Headlamp aim too high" (1.0%), "Headlamp aim too low" (0.1%), "Horn not working" (0.0%) among the Hyundai Kona's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Top Recorded Hyundai Kona DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Hyundai Kona, each with how many of the model's 119,437 tests it was noted on.
- "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" (Major) — noted on about 3,083 Hyundai Kona tests, 2.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" (Major) — noted on about 2,031 Hyundai Kona tests, 1.7% of the model's MOT record.
- "Wipers blade defective" (Minor) — noted on about 1,967 Hyundai Kona tests, 1.6% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 1,341 Hyundai Kona tests, 1.1% of the model's MOT record.
- "Headlamp aim too high" (Rectified) — noted on about 1,248 Hyundai Kona tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" (Major) — noted on about 1,178 Hyundai Kona tests, 1.0% of the model's MOT record.
What Kona fails on more than most
1 failure item is recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.
| Failure item | This model | UK | × UK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headlamp aim too high | 1.2% | 0.7% | 1.7× | £30–£80 |
Rates are a share of this model's own tests (119,437 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items Kona records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs
Best and Worst Hyundai Kona Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Hyundai Kona model year on record is 2023 (92.9% across 619 tests), and the weakest is 2017 (90.4%). The gap between them is 2.5 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Kona | 619 | 92.9% |
| 2022 Kona | 13,575 | 91.8% |
| 2021 Kona | 25,668 | 91.5% |
| 2020 Kona | 32,294 | 91.5% |
| 2019 Kona | 24,339 | 91.5% |
| 2018 Kona | 21,579 | 90.8% |
| 2017 Kona | 1,363 | 90.4% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Hyundai Kona Owners
These checks follow this Hyundai Kona's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Hyundai Kona.
-
the wipers and washers — “wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively”
Run the wipers with the screen wet: they should clear it in one sweep without smearing or juddering. Top the washer bottle up and check both jets hit the screen.
-
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.
-
the lights — “headlamp aim too high”
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.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Hyundai Kona. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Hyundai Kona MOT & Reliability
What is the Hyundai Kona MOT pass rate?
91.4% of the 119,437 recorded Hyundai Kona MOT tests ended in a pass, +10.4 percentage points above the national average. 90.6% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Hyundai Kona model years pass the MOT most often?
2023 is the strongest Hyundai Kona year on record at 92.9%, while 2017 is the weakest at 90.4%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Hyundai Kona MOT failures?
The most recorded Hyundai Kona failures are "Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively" and "Has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" — together around 4% of tests, mostly in the Visibility section.