2,610 tests in 2025
Hyundai Matrix reliability and MOT pass rate
58.8% passed first time. The 41.2% fail rate is 18.6 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 19 years old with 77,106 miles.
Pass rate
58.8%
22.6% of all cars failed; 41.2% of these did.
Fixed on the day
7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
77,106 mi
19 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 0 | — |
| 6-9 years | 1 | — |
| 10-13 years | 1 | — |
| 14+ years | 2,608 | 41.1% |
What the Matrix fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension74 dangerous42.7%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment17 dangerous34.3%
- Body, chassis, structure6 dangerous33.4%
- Brakes103 dangerous32.3%
- Tyres260 dangerous21.4%
- Visibility1 dangerous19.7%
- Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems13.3%
- Steering9 dangerous11.9%
Is the Matrix getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2.2 points to 41.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (1.1 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,949 | 16 | 39% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 4,177 | 17 | 38.2% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 3,050 | 18 | 40.4% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 2,608 | 19 | 41.2% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Matrix at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Matrix in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt277 tests
- 2Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn154 tests
- 3Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect130 tests
- 4Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened124 tests
- 5SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault109 tests
- 6Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded99 tests
- 7Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively91 tests
- 8Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm86 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Matrix collects 3.31 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded603 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm549 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure329 tests
- 4Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened314 tests
- 5Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine253 tests
- 6Registration plates: inscription illegible238 tests
- 7Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn194 tests
- 8Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases189 tests
Questions
What is the Hyundai Matrix MOT pass rate?
58.8% of the 2,610 Hyundai Matrix first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 41.2% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Hyundai Matrix usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt", recorded on 277 failed tests, followed by "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn" and "Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect". By section, suspension appears in 42.7% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 34.3% of failures, body, chassis, structure appears in 33.4% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was n/a%; at 14+ years it was 41.1%. The median Hyundai Matrix tested in 2025 was 19 years old with 77,106 miles.
Is the Hyundai Matrix getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2.2 points to 41.2% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years, which is about what ageing alone predicts (1.1 points). Read it as the fleet getting older rather than the model changing.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Matrix trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
Other Hyundai models
Checking a particular Matrix?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.