Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2021 Hyundai Kona?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2021 Hyundai Kona?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2021 Hyundai Kona?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2021 Hyundai Kona reliable?

Based on MOT data from 5,397 vehicles, the 2021 Hyundai Kona has a first-time MOT pass rate of 91.3%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2021 Hyundai Kona?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2021 Hyundai Kona are: Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (16.1% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (16% of vehicles), Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (15.2% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2021 Hyundai Kona?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Hyundai Kona (2021)

5,397 real MOT outcomes analysed • 91.3% first-time pass rate

2021 Hyundai Kona

CarHunch analysed 5,397 real MOT records for the 2021 Hyundai Kona. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2021 Hyundai Kona is a strong performer on the MOT, passing at 88.2% — well above the UK average of 80% — with only 8.3% of vehicles ever flagged for dangerous defects, suggesting genuine reliability. The petrol version punches harder at 93.6% pass rate, though the vast majority of Konas in this cohort are electric (5,199 of 5,397), which pass at a solid 88.0%.

At just over 31,000 miles median, these three-year-old cars are running well within expected mileage for their age, and they're not generating excessive failures — averaging 0.28 per test suggests few cars have significant issues. The typical advisory count of 1.5 items per test is moderate wear stuff rather than warning signs, so if you're buying one, a pre-purchase inspection should focus on battery health and any recall work rather than mechanical concerns.

The 2021 Hyundai Kona passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (91.3% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

91.3%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

8.3%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.28

Over 2.5 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

31k

Middle half: 22k–43k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 91.3% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 1.5 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 5,397 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 5,397 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 16.1%

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 6.3%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 5%

Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Wipers & washers 3.2%

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2021.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 5,397 Hyundai Kona cars.

Before you buy a 2021 Hyundai Kona

Based on MOT data from 5,397 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 8.3% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Electric (96%)	5,199	91.2%	0.29
Petrol (3%)	137	94.3%	0.2
Hybrid Electric (Clean) (1%)	61	91.5%	0.25

Colour Breakdown

Based on 30,517 Hyundai Kona vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Grey 31.2%

9,517

White 15.5%

4,744

Blue 15.3%

4,664

Red 13.8%

4,202

Black 11.3%

3,448

Orange 5.3%

1,608

Yellow 3.3%

1,022

Silver 3.1%

947

Green 1.2%

365

Mileage Distribution

Most 2021 Hyundai Kona vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

31,178

typical

22,269

low mileage

43,053

high mileage

Half of all 2021 Hyundai Kona vehicles fall between 22,269 and 43,053 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 22,269 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 22,269–43,053 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2021 Hyundai Konas sit.

⚠ Over 58,121 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2021 Hyundai Kona — Still on the Road

Almost all 2021 Hyundai Konas are still on the road.

Strong survival — 5,040 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 99% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2023–2025.

MOT History Averages

2.5

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.28

Avg failures per vehicle

1.5

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Hyundai Kona: All Kona years → Which year to buy? →

2017 2018 2019 2020 2022 2023

Or browse all models: Hyundai →

Compare with another model

See how the 2021 Hyundai Kona stacks up against a rival.

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