Known faults, from the test record
Hyundai I20 common problems
What fails on the Hyundai I20 at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 133,054 DVSA test records.
Data updated
Quick answer
The Hyundai I20's most common MOT problems are bulbs and lamps, tyres, suspension bushes, recorded in 31.5%, 27.1% and 25.9% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2020 cars pass most often (88.1%) and 2009 cars least (57.1%), though most of that gap is age. Every figure here is what testers recorded, not what owners reported.
A “common problems” list is usually a forum thread: whoever had the worst day writes the longest post. This one is built the other way, from every Hyundai I20 that took an MOT last year and what the tester wrote down. It cannot see breakdowns, electrical gremlins or a gearbox that hunts, because the test does not check those. What it can see, it sees across 133,054 cars.
By component
What wears out on a I20
Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Hyundai I20 tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.
1.Bulbs and lamps
31.5% of failed testsFilament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.
- “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained14.1%
- “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained6.9%
- “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained4.0%
- “A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED” — explained2.9%
Across all cars, bulbs and lamps failures climb 15-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long bulbs and lamps last
2.Tyres
27.1% of failed testsTread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.
- “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained10.4%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained6.3%
- “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained4.4%
- “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained4.2%
Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last
3.Suspension bushes
25.9% of failed testsRubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.
- “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained13.9%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained4.2%
- “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained4.1%
- “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained3.6%
Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last
4.Wiper blades and washers
23.3% of failed testsRubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.
- “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained11.5%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained7.0%
- “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained4.8%
Across all cars, wiper blades and washers failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long wiper blades and washers last
5.Parking brake
10.1% of failed testsCables stretch and seize, rear shoes and adjusters wear; efficiency is measured on the roller tester against the vehicle's weight.
6.Brake pipes
9.4% of failed testsSteel pipes under the car corrode from salt and moisture, fastest on cars kept outside in wet or coastal areas; failure is for excessive corrosion or damage.
- “Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded” — explained9.4%
Across all cars, brake pipes failures climb from nothing between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long brake pipes last
7.Brake pads and shoes
9.4% of failed testsFriction material wears with use; the MOT limit is 1.5 mm and a pad that thin is close to metal on metal.
- “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm” — explained9.4%
Across all cars, brake pads and shoes failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long brake pads and shoes last
8.Brake discs
8.2% of failed testsDiscs thin with each pad set and pit or corrode when lightly used; failure is for significant wear, fracture or insecurity, advisory for surface condition.
- “Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn” — explained3.7%
- “Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution.” — explained2.7%
- “Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured” — explained1.7%
Across all cars, brake discs failures climb 3-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long brake discs last
By registration year
I20 problems by year
MOT pass rate for Hyundai I20 cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. The step at 2015, up 10.1 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.
Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.
Before it fails
What testers warn I20 owners about
Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Hyundai I20 tests carrying an advisory for each.
- Tyres42.3% of tests
- Brake discs16.7% of tests
- Brake pipes12.4% of tests
- Brake pads and shoes9.7% of tests
- Suspension bushes6.5% of tests
Go deeper
The rest of the I20 file
Common questions
- What are the most common problems with a Hyundai I20?
- Going by what fails the MOT, bulbs and lamps (recorded in 31.5% of failed tests), tyres (recorded in 27.1% of failed tests), and suspension bushes (recorded in 25.9% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 133,054 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
- Which Hyundai I20 year is the most reliable?
- By MOT pass rate, Hyundai I20 cars registered in 2020 do best at 88.1% and 2009 cars do worst at 57.1%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar. The largest such step is at 2015, up 10.1 points on 2014.
- Is the Hyundai I20 reliable?
- Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Hyundai I20 passes 70.0% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.
- What should I check when buying a used Hyundai I20?
- Start with what fails most: bulbs and lamps, tyres, suspension bushes. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.
Analysis built from DVSA data of