Hyundai i20: common problems, best years and what to check
Sensible, well-built small car with a long warranty. Covers 2009–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Hyundai i20 a good used buy?
Best buy
2015+ GB 1.2 or 1.0 T-GDi
Avoid
neglected PB with clutch judder
Who it suits: Buyers who want a sensible, reliable small car with a transferable warranty.
What's good
- Five-year warranty transfers
- Reliable
- Roomy for its class
- i20 N is a brilliant hot hatch
What's not
- Plain to drive (except N)
- Average resale
- Early cars feel cheap inside
- Firm ride on N Line
By the numbers
- #53 most common model on UK roads, with about 147k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2016: 13.9k cars still licensed.
- 2009 cars survive 9% better than comparable cars of that year.
- The most expensive common fault: Clutch judder (up to £700).
Hyundai i20 common problems by generation and engine
Hyundai i20 PB (2008–2014) · 3/5-door hatch
How to spot it: 08 plate to 14 plate. Rounded hatch; 2012 facelift adds a hexagonal grille.
1.2 / 1.4 petrol (Kappa / Gamma, petrol, 2008–2014)
Durable
- Clutch judder£400–£70060k+
Hyundai i20 GB (2015–2020) · hatch; Active
How to spot it: 15 plate to 20 plate. Longer, sharper body with a large hexagonal grille and blacked-out C-pillar.
1.2 MPi / 1.0 T-GDi (Kappa, petrol, 2015–2020)
Reliable
- Few faults; check servicing£0–£200any
Hyundai i20 BC3 (2020–) · hatch; i20 N
How to spot it: 20 plate onwards. Sharp creases and a Z-shaped C-pillar with a full-width rear light bar.
1.0 T-GDi 48V (Kappa, petrol mild hybrid, 2020–)
Smooth; iMT clutch-by-wire
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Hyundai i20 years
How many Hyundai i20s from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2009, 2016. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Hyundai i20 MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2009+ cars)
Hyundai i20s pass their MOT first time about as often as the average UK car of the same age.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 57% | 58% | 83k miles |
| 2010 | 60% | 59% | 82k miles |
| 2011 | 59% | 61% | 80k miles |
| 2012 | 58% | 63% | 73k miles |
| 2013 | 60% | 66% | 68k miles |
| 2014 | 67% | 69% | 62k miles |
| 2015 | 77% | 72% | 62k miles |
| 2016 | 79% | 75% | 56k miles |
| 2017 | 81% | 78% | 50k miles |
| 2018 | 84% | 81% | 42k miles |
| 2019 | 86% | 84% | 35k miles |
| 2020 | 88% | 86% | 30k miles |
| 2021 | 88% | 87% | 25k miles |
| 2022 | 85% | 89% | 20k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Hybrid
Diesel
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Position lamp: not working4.56 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively3.67 per 100
- Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt3.4 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working2.47 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.3 per 100
- Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid2.28 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1.99 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tyres: has a tear19.43 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm18.8 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded12.53 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened12.38 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick9.75 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn4.51 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded3.84 per 100
- Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn3.22 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Hyundai i20 have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| All engines | chain | durable | £500–£900 |
Hyundai i20 running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Hyundai i20 ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Hyundai i20 vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai i20 | 147k | 3–15 | 352 l | 2015+ GB 1.2 or 1.0 T-GDi |
| Ford Fiesta | 1159k | 2–20 | 292 l | 2017–2023 Mk8 1.0 EcoBoost 100/125 manual |
| Vauxhall Corsa | 830k | 1–20 | 309 l | 2019+ Corsa F 1.2 (75ps non-turbo) or Corsa E 1.4 manual |
| Volkswagen Polo | 582k | 2–17 | 351 l | 2017+ AW 1.0 TSI 95 manual |
| Toyota Yaris | 469k | 4–14 | 286 l | 2012–2020 1.5 Hybrid or 2020+ 1.5 Hybrid |
| Kia Rio | 97k | 3–14 | 325 l | 2017+ YB 1.0 T-GDi |
What to check when buying a used Hyundai i20
- Warranty transfers — check remaining term
Hyundai i20 FAQ
›Is the Hyundai i20 reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2015+ GB 1.2 or 1.0 T-GDi. Avoid: neglected PB with clutch judder.
›What is the Hyundai i20 MOT pass rate?
73% of Hyundai i20s passed their MOT first time in 2025 (118,259 tests), about average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: position lamp: not working.
›What are the most common Hyundai i20 problems?
The costliest known faults are Clutch judder; Few faults; check servicing. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Hyundai i20 have a timing belt or chain?
All engines: chain.
›What is the best year Hyundai i20 to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2009, 2010, 2016 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Hyundai i20 cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.2 petrol 45–52 mpg; 1.0 T-GDi 45–55 mpg. Insurance groups 3–15. A minor service is about £130–£190 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Hyundai i20?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Hyundai i20 ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.