2013 Hyundai IX35 1.7L Diesel · EY13 OFO

The 2013 Hyundai ix35 passed its most recent MOT on 9 April 2026 at 153,953 miles, just over two months before today’s date, giving a current and broadly reassuring snapshot of its condition. The overall maintenance trend is mixed rather than clearly improving or worsening. The tester flagged several minor but notable items: rear brake imbalance only just meeting requirements, thin nearside rear brake pads, a nearside rear service brake binding, slight play in the offside rear anti-roll bar linkage ball joint, and a persistent oil leak. None of these are immediate failures, yet they indicate the car is not in a fully sorted state and that braking and suspension components are approaching the point of active intervention. Mileage accumulation is steady and broadly typical for a 13-year-old vehicle. Between the clean pass on 13 March 2024 at 140,334 miles and the latest test on 9 April 2026 at 153,953 miles, the car covered 13,619 miles in roughly two years, averaging about 6,800 miles per year. That is lower than the long-term average of around 11,800 miles per year, suggesting more recent use has been lighter or more intermittent. The record itself is fairly complete and regular, with no glaring gaps, although the failed test on 19 February 2025 at 145,066 miles, followed by a pass on the same date, points to a MOT retest after repairs rather than a full annual cycle. The recurring fault pattern centres on the braking system and suspension joints rather than catastrophic structural failure. Rear brake issues appear repeatedly: binding and imbalance in 2026, and excessively binding rear brakes in the 2025 failure. That suggests either a long-standing caliper or handbrake adjustment problem, or repeated neglect of rear brake servicing. A buyer should have the rear calipers, handbrake mechanism, and brake discs inspected for uneven wear, sticking pistons, and corrosion. The oil leak, noted in both 2025 and 2026 as “not excessive,” is still a concern at this mileage. It should be traced to its source, likely a cam cover gasket, oil filter housing, or crankshaft seal, and assessed for potential long-term damage to rubber components and turbo plumbing if the engine is turbocharged. Suspension wear is emerging but not yet critical. The 2025 failure for a fractured or broken nearside front coil spring indicates a significant defect was repaired, yet the 2026 test still recorded slight play in the offside rear anti-roll bar linkage ball joint and previously flagged lower suspension arm ball joint play in 2023. At 153,953 miles, consumable front-end components such as track rod ends, wishbone bushes, and drop links should be checked for slack and perishing. There is no explicit mention of structural corrosion in the provided record, but a physical inspection of inner sills, subframes, and around suspension mounting points remains essential, given the car’s age and mileage. Overall, the car appears fundamentally sound but is entering a phase where suspension and braking components will demand closer attention and likely replacement in the near term.