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MOT performance

Hyundai Santa Fe vs Porsche Cayenne: MOT pass rates compared

In 2023–2024, 66.8% of 67,599 Hyundai Santa Fe MOT tests and 84.2% of 59,466 Porsche Cayenne tests passed first time — 17.3 points in favour of the Porsche Cayenne. Once age, mileage and fuel are allowed for, the Porsche Cayenne fails less often than the Hyundai Santa Fe: 0.56× against 1.07× the national rate for comparable cars.

67,599 Hyundai Santa Fe and 59,466 Porsche Cayenne MOT tests, 2023–2024

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At a glance

Hyundai Santa Fe vs Porsche Cayenne MOT results
FigureValueBasis
Hyundai Santa Fe: first-time pass rate66.8%±0.4 pts (95%), n = 67,599
Porsche Cayenne: first-time pass rate84.2%±0.3 pts (95%), n = 59,466
Hyundai Santa Fe: failures vs similar cars+7%same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00
Porsche Cayenne: failures vs similar cars-44%same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00
Hyundai Santa Fe: dangerous defect10.0%n = 67,599
Porsche Cayenne: dangerous defect4.7%n = 59,466
Average age at test10.1 vs 9.2 yearsHyundai Santa Fe vs Porsche Cayenne

Why the raw pass rates can mislead

The Hyundai Santa Fe was tested at an older average age (10.1 years against 9.2), and older cars fail more often whatever they are. That is why the table above also shows failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel: it compares the models, not their fleets.

Failure areas side by side

Share of MOT tests that failed on each area, and in brackets how that compares with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel (1.00 = national average). The clearest difference is steering, where the Hyundai Santa Fe fails 10.2 times as often on an adjusted basis.

Hyundai Santa Fe vs Porsche Cayenne MOT failures by area
AreaHyundai Santa FePorsche Cayenne
Brakes9.6% (+22%)2.6% (-61%)
Steering4.2% (+78%)0.3% (-83%)
Suspension11.1% (+5%)2.9% (-66%)
Tyres6.3% (-10%)5.2% (-22%)
Road wheels0.4% (-24%)0.4% (+4%)
Lights, reflectors and electrical14.4% (+19%)4.8% (-57%)
Body, chassis and structure5.3% (+32%)0.9% (-74%)
Driver's view of the road4.3% (-7%)2.3% (-51%)
Noise, emissions and leaks1.6% (-48%)1.8% (-47%)
Seat belts and airbags0.9% (-24%)0.8% (-25%)
Registration plates and VIN0.5% (+29%)0.7% (+90%)
Speedometer and driving controls0.0% (+59%)0.0% (-32%)

Pass rate at the same age

Comparing cars of the same age removes most of the fleet-age effect from the raw rates.

Hyundai Santa Fe vs Porsche Cayenne MOT pass rate by age at test
Age at testHyundai Santa FePorsche Cayenne
3-4 years86.7% (n = 4,262)93.4% (n = 10,142)
5-6 years83.0% (n = 9,488)87.5% (n = 8,097)
7-8 years79.0% (n = 13,187)85.8% (n = 9,583)
9-10 years65.6% (n = 8,772)83.4% (n = 8,532)
11-12 years54.2% (n = 12,385)82.2% (n = 6,340)
13-15 years54.1% (n = 9,311)78.1% (n = 4,635)
16+ years51.3% (n = 9,015)72.0% (n = 9,450)

Most common failure item

MOT results reflect how cars are maintained as well as how they are built, so a gap between two models is a difference in test performance, not proof that one is more reliable. For one car, its own MOT history says more than any average.

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About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.