2008 Hyundai Santa Fe MOT pass rate: 62.2% (2,209 tests)
Is the 2008 Santa Fe getting worse?
Pass rate of 2008-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 60.5% -4.8 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 62.4% -2.4 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 64.8% -0.3 vs same-age |
The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.
What fails on a 2008 Santa Fe
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 644 | 23.2% |
| 2 | Suspension | 620 | 22.3% |
| 3 | Brakes | 523 | 18.8% |
| 4 | Steering | 323 | 11.6% |
| 5 | Tyres | 247 | 8.9% |
| 6 | Body, chassis, structure | 129 | 4.6% |
All Santa Fe years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1,624 | 61.0% | -3.3 pts | 117,434 |
| 2005 | 2,189 | 59.1% | -5.3 pts | 119,688 |
| 2006 | 3,505 | 58.9% | -5.5 pts | 114,891 |
| 2007 | 3,420 | 61.7% | -3.4 pts | 120,386 |
| 2008 (this page) | 2,209 | 62.2% | -2.9 pts | 119,628 |
| 2009 | 1,912 | 64.4% | -2.0 pts | 109,666 |
| 2010 | 9,157 | 60.0% | -7.4 pts | 114,960 |
| 2011 | 9,752 | 60.7% | -8.5 pts | 110,676 |
| 2012 | 8,925 | 62.5% | -8.7 pts | 100,646 |
| 2013 | 4,063 | 65.6% | -7.7 pts | 93,453 |
| 2014 | 7,390 | 71.6% | -4.3 pts | 84,480 |
| 2015 | 8,753 | 80.6% | +1.8 pts | 73,021 |
| 2016 | 12,663 | 83.1% | +1.8 pts | 64,347 |
| 2017 | 7,824 | 84.9% | +0.9 pts | 59,205 |
| 2018 | 5,712 | 86.8% | +0.5 pts | 48,829 |
| 2019 | 3,349 | 88.1% | -0.3 pts | 40,434 |
| 2020 | 1,581 | 89.7% | -0.2 pts | 33,480 |
Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Hyundai Santa Fe years to avoid.
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FAQs
Is a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
2008-registered examples passed 62.2% of their MOT tests (2,209 tests, 2023–2025), -2.9 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 18 years old with a median 119,628 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2008 Santa Fe?
The median tested example shows 119,628 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.