Car guides

Hyundai ix35: common problems, best years and what to check

Robust family SUV, predecessor of the Tucson. Covers 2010–2015 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 ix35 a good used buy?

Best buy

1.7 CRDi with full history

Avoid

rusty subframe

Who it suits: Families wanting a cheap, robust SUV.

What's good

  • Cheap used
  • Roomy
  • Robust diesels
  • Good equipment

What's not

  • Subframe rust
  • Dated
  • Thirsty petrols
  • Discontinued

By the numbers

  • #135 most common model on UK roads, with about 51k licensed (DfT).
  • The biggest surviving year is 2014: 13.6k cars still licensed.
  • The most expensive common fault: Rear subframe corrosion (up to £1,200).

Hyundai ix35 common problems by generation and engine

Hyundai ix35 LM (2010–2015) · SUV

How to spot it: 10 plate to 15 plate. Swoopy SUV with hexagonal grille.

1.6 / 2.0 petrol (Gamma / Theta, petrol, 2010–2015)

1.7 / 2.0 CRDi (U2 / R, diesel, 2010–2015)

Strong

  • DMF / clutch£600–£1,10070k+

Faults on any LM (2010–2015) engine

  • Rear subframe corrosion£300–£1,2008+ yrs

Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.

Best and worst Hyundai ix35 years

How many Hyundai ix35s from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.

survives better than similar carsabout averagesurvives worse

No year clearly outlasts similar cars. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.

Hyundai ix35 MOT pass rate and common failures

First-time pass rate (2025)

64%

Average UK car of the same age

67%all makes, same ages as these Hyundai ix35s

MOT tests analysed (2010+ cars)

44,386

Hyundai ix35s pass their MOT first time 3 points less often than the average UK car of the same age (64% vs 67%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.

First registeredPass rateAverage UK car that ageMedian mileage
201057%59%111k miles
201157%61%108k miles
201258%63%100k miles
201359%66%94k miles
201468%69%87k miles
201571%72%79k miles

Pass rate by fuel

Diesel

63% 37,465 tests

Petrol

65% 6,921 tests

Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.

Most common MOT failures

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm6.06 per 100
  2. Position lamp: not working4.77 per 100
  3. Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements4.51 per 100
  4. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick4.22 per 100
  5. Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn4.1 per 100
  6. Ball joint excessively worn3.78 per 100
  7. Service brake performance: excessively binding3.69 per 100
  8. Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play3.21 per 100

Most common advisories

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm30.94 per 100
  2. Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened18.89 per 100
  3. Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn16.47 per 100
  4. Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick16.46 per 100
  5. Tyres: has a tear14.56 per 100
  6. Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened7.9 per 100
  7. Coil spring: corroded6.4 per 100
  8. Service brake performance: excessively binding6.01 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 ix35 have a timing belt or chain?

EngineTypeWhenCost
All engineschaindurable£600–£1,100

Hyundai ix35 running costs

Road tax (from April 2017)

£200 a year; +£440 for years 2–6 if the list price was over £40,000 (£50,000 for electric cars).

Road tax (before April 2017)

CO2 band tax: £20 (band A–B, up to 110g/km) to £790 (band M). Most petrol and diesel versions sit in bands B–E, £20–£200 a year.

Insurance groups

11–20

Real-world economy

1.7 CRDi: 45–52
1.6 GDi: 35–40

Servicing (independent)

Minor £150–£210 · Major £250–£360

Tyres

225/60 R17 · set of four £400–£600

Warranty when new

5 years / unlimited miles, transfers to the next owner

Is the Hyundai ix35 ULEZ compliant?

  • Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
  • Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
  • 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

ix35: ★★★★★ (2010)

Boot

465 litres

Seats

5

Hyundai ix35 vs rivals

ModelOn UK roadsInsuranceBootBest buy
Hyundai ix3551k11–20465 l1.7 CRDi with full history
Kia Sportage373k13–25491 l2016–2021 QL 1.6 GDi or 1.7 CRDi; 2022+ HEV
Nissan Qashqai646k13–22430 l2018–2021 J11 1.3 DIG-T manual
Ford Kuga354k15–28475 l2013–2019 Mk2 2.0 TDCi manual; 2020+ FHEV
Toyota RAV4112k27–40580 l2019+ XA50 2.5 Hybrid
Volkswagen Tiguan316k16–30520 l2016+ Mk2 2.0 TDI 150

What to check when buying a used Hyundai ix35

  • Subframe rust check

Hyundai ix35 FAQ

›Is the Hyundai ix35 reliable?

Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 1.7 CRDi with full history. Avoid: rusty subframe.

›What is the Hyundai ix35 MOT pass rate?

64% of Hyundai ix35s passed their MOT first time in 2025 (44,386 tests), below the 67% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm.

›What are the most common Hyundai ix35 problems?

The costliest known faults are DMF / clutch. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.

›Does the Hyundai ix35 have a timing belt or chain?

All engines: chain.

›What is the best year Hyundai ix35 to buy?

By DfT survival data, 2010, 2011, 2012 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.

›How much does a Hyundai ix35 cost to run?

Real-world economy: 1.7 CRDi 45–52 mpg; 1.6 GDi 35–40 mpg. Insurance groups 11–20. A minor service is about £150–£210 at an independent garage.

›How much is road tax on a Hyundai ix35?

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 ix35 ULEZ compliant?

Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.

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.