Used car guide · 2001–2010

Hyundai Matrix common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Hyundai Matrix, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 10,359 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

10,359MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
3,485on the UK register
2009best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2010200920082007200620052004200320022001

What usually goes wrong with a Hyundai Matrix?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Hyundai Matrix in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Hyundai Matrix MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints

    up to 4.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

    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-frame

    up to 2.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

    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.

  • Rigid brake pipes

    up to 3.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Airbag warning light

    up to 6.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2004, 2006 and 2009.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Power steering pipes and hoses

    up to 9.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2004 and 2006.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Headlights

    up to 2.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2008 and 2009.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

Hyundai Matrix MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2009 Hyundai Matrix did best (58% passed first time, 1 point below all 2009 cars) and the 2007 did worst (50%, 7 points below all 2007 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201057%60% -3492 (small sample)
200958%59% -1899
200853%57% -41,322
200750%57% -71,807
200653%56% -32,126
200552%57% -51,829
200452%57% -51,132
200354%57% -3508
200254%58% -4244 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Hyundai Matrix

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 4.1× as often on the Hyundai Matrix as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the sub-frame? (Flagged at MOT 2.7× as often on the Hyundai Matrix as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the airbag warning light? (Flagged at MOT 5.9× as often on the Hyundai Matrix as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Hyundai Matrix?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score