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MOT performance

Hyundai Tucson vs Toyota RAV4: MOT pass rates compared

In 2023–2024, 82.3% of 263,314 Hyundai Tucson MOT tests and 76.1% of 255,291 Toyota RAV4 tests passed first time — 6.2 points in favour of the Hyundai Tucson. Once age, mileage and fuel are allowed for, the Toyota RAV4 fails less often than the Hyundai Tucson: 0.82× against 0.98× the national rate for comparable cars.

263,314 Hyundai Tucson and 255,291 Toyota RAV4 MOT tests, 2023–2024

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At a glance

Hyundai Tucson vs Toyota RAV4 MOT results
FigureValueBasis
Hyundai Tucson: first-time pass rate82.3%±0.1 pts (95%), n = 263,314
Toyota RAV4: first-time pass rate76.1%±0.2 pts (95%), n = 255,291
Hyundai Tucson: failures vs similar cars-2%same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00
Toyota RAV4: failures vs similar cars-18%same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00
Hyundai Tucson: dangerous defect6.6%n = 263,314
Toyota RAV4: dangerous defect5.8%n = 255,291
Average age at test5.3 vs 10.7 yearsHyundai Tucson vs Toyota RAV4

Why the raw pass rates can mislead

The Toyota RAV4 was tested at an older average age (10.7 years against 5.3), 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. Here the adjustment reverses the raw result: the Toyota RAV4 has the lower pass rate but fails less often than comparable cars.

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 Tucson fails 5.4 times as often on an adjusted basis.

Hyundai Tucson vs Toyota RAV4 MOT failures by area
AreaHyundai TucsonToyota RAV4
Brakes6.1% (+67%)6.0% (-18%)
Steering0.7% (+14%)0.4% (-79%)
Suspension1.9% (-40%)7.9% (-17%)
Tyres4.8% (-16%)3.9% (-39%)
Road wheels0.2% (-22%)0.2% (-49%)
Lights, reflectors and electrical3.2% (-34%)8.8% (-27%)
Body, chassis and structure0.7% (-38%)2.9% (-31%)
Driver's view of the road4.5% (+33%)4.2% (-16%)
Noise, emissions and leaks1.2% (-10%)3.2% (-12%)
Seat belts and airbags0.4% (-22%)1.2% (-12%)
Registration plates and VIN0.2% (-27%)0.3% (-23%)
Speedometer and driving controls0.0% (+40%)0.0% (-29%)

Pass rate at the same age

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

Hyundai Tucson vs Toyota RAV4 MOT pass rate by age at test
Age at testHyundai TucsonToyota RAV4
3-4 years85.3% (n = 83,179)90.8% (n = 39,027)
5-6 years83.2% (n = 92,668)86.0% (n = 29,139)
7-8 years78.9% (n = 46,972)83.3% (n = 25,699)
9-10 years73.7% (n = 879)79.6% (n = 22,812)
13-15 years58.0% (n = 3,399)65.2% (n = 25,008)
16+ years51.8% (n = 7,445)61.3% (n = 77,219)

Most common failure item

  • Hyundai Tucson · wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.16% of tests)
  • Toyota RAV4 · position lamp: not working (2.70% of tests)

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.