Comparison · small SUVs

SEAT Arona vs Hyundai Kona: which is more reliable?

The SEAT Arona and Hyundai Kona are very close at the MOT: scores of 100 and 101. Pick on the condition and history of the actual car. Based on 90,456 real MOT tests in 2024.

By age

MOT Rank score for each age group (100 = an average car that age).

Age at test	SEAT Arona	Hyundai Kona
3–5 years	101About average	100About average
6–9 years	94Below average	106Above average
10–14 years	–	–
15+ years	–	–

Year by year

Share that passed first time, same registration year.

Year	SEAT Arona	Hyundai Kona
2021	87.5%	87.1%
2020	88.7%	87.0%
2019	86.4%	86.7%
2018	78.0%	87.0%
2017	71.6%	88.0%

Problem areas

Failure items per 100 tests.

Area	SEAT Arona	Hyundai Kona
Tyres	5.2	5.8
Brakes	5.9	2.4
Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)	1.9	3.9
Lights & electrics	2.4	3.2
Steering	2.7	0.1
Suspension	0.7	0.6
Emissions & leaks	0.7	0.4
Seat belts & airbags	0.8	0.1

SEAT Arona: top failures

Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.4%
Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.1%
Tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.4%
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.2%
Service brake performance: excessively fluctuating0.9%
Tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed0.9%

Hyundai Kona: top failures

Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively3.1%
Tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.9%
Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.5%
Headlamp aim: too high1.3%
Tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed1.0%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick0.8%

Questions

Which is more reliable, the SEAT Arona or the Hyundai Kona?

The SEAT Arona and Hyundai Kona are very close at the MOT: scores of 100 and 101. Pick on the condition and history of the actual car.

Which years of the SEAT Arona and Hyundai Kona can be compared?

Both were tested for 5 registration years (2017–2021). The SEAT Arona had the higher pass rate in 2 of them and the Hyundai Kona in 3.

What fails most on each?

SEAT Arona: brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick; track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt. Hyundai Kona: wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively; tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords.