Used car guide

2004 Hyundai Matrix: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2004 Hyundai Matrixs, from 291 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 291 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

291MOT tests in 2025
50%pass first time (all 2004 cars: 58%)
3,700typical miles a year
3.8×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2004 Hyundai Matrixs than on all cars registered in 2004.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints3.8× usual
    Hyundai Matrix
    26.1% All 2004 cars
    6.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 12.4%, against 2.9% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Sub-frame2.4× usual
    Hyundai Matrix
    14.8% All 2004 cars
    6.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.5%, against 0.3% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Shock absorbers2.1× usual
    Hyundai Matrix
    14.4% All 2004 cars
    7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.7%, against 1.7% of all 2004 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

By area

The share of 2004 Hyundai Matrix MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    52% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    43% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    40% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    35% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    26% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    17% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Looking at a Hyundai Matrix?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2010146Suspension 45%
2009269Brakes 42%
2008372Suspension 44%
2007497Suspension 49%
2006575Suspension 49%
2005472Suspension 51%
2003129Suspension 52%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2004 Hyundai Matrixs registered in 2004. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score