Hyundai i20 reliability by year, 2009 to 2022
381,716 Hyundai i20s went through an MOT in the period we analysed, and 72.9% passed. Set against the 71.7% national pass rate, that is a good result on the raw numbers. Set against cars of the same age rather than the whole fleet, the i20 is about average at +0.6 points. At its first MOT, at three years old, 86.7% of i20s pass; the national figure for three-year-old cars is 87.9%. When a i20 does fail, wipers not clearing the screen is the item recorded most often.
The i20's weak points
The i20's failures cluster around visibility and lights: wipers not clearing the screen on 12.3% of fails, a sidelight not working on 9.9%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
An empty washer bottle fails the test. It sounds trivial because it is, and it still accounts for thousands of failures a year.
Warning signs on the certificate
An advisory is the tester telling you what fails next year. On the i20 the usual suspects are tyre tread below the legal minimum (12.8% of tests) and a damaged tyre sidewall (12.4%). How often each category of advisory turns into a failure is measured across the whole dataset.
Does fuel type matter on a i20?
Among Hyundai i20 cars, hybrid versions pass 85.9% of the time and diesel versions 62.4%, a gap of 23.5 points. Diesels tend to be bought for high mileage, which shows up at the test as wear. Hybrid versions are newer cars on average, so some of that gap is age rather than engineering.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 72.7% | 348,817 |
| Diesel | 62.4% | 16,410 |
| Hybrid | 85.9% | 15,859 |
Every i20 year, 2009 to 2022
Pass rates run from 58.1% for 2009 cars to 85.1% for 2022 cars. Most of that spread is age: a car tested at ten years old has had far more chances to wear something out than one tested at four.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai i20 2022 | 85.1% | 8,037 | 7,605 | 84.8% |
| Hyundai i20 2021 | 86.9% | 11,906 | 6,887 | 85.9% |
| Hyundai i20 2020 | 89.5% | 12,522 | 6,386 | 91.4% |
| Hyundai i20 2019 | 87.9% | 21,868 | 6,296 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2018 | 85.7% | 25,643 | 6,468 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2017 | 83% | 34,684 | 6,627 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2016 | 80.9% | 40,893 | 6,550 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2015 | 79% | 38,017 | 6,567 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2014 | 69.5% | 38,657 | 6,084 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2013 | 61.9% | 37,012 | 6,013 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2012 | 59.6% | 28,483 | 5,935 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2011 | 60% | 28,439 | 6,099 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2010 | 60% | 28,295 | 5,746 | – |
| Hyundai i20 2009 | 58.1% | 27,260 | 5,495 | – |
Pass rate by mileage
On the 2016 cars, a i20 under 40,000 miles passes 87.4% of the time; one over 100,000 passes 67.2%. When comparing two used i20s, the odometer tells you more than the year.
| Mileage at test (2016 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.4% | 13,798 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.2% | 13,806 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75.5% | 8,216 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 72.3% | 3,346 |
| Over 100,000 | 67.2% | 1,725 |
How the i20 compares
Set against the rest of the Hyundai range, which averages 73.5%, the i20 at 72.9% is below par. Within the family, see how the i10 does (73.1%), the Tucson (82.7%), i30 common problems (65.1%) and Hyundai Kona reliability (87.2%), or Hyundai reliability by model. Buyers weighing a i20 against other cars of similar popularity often compare it with the Volkswagen up! (80.3%) and Toyota RAV4 (77%). The reliability index for all makes and models puts them side by side, and the statistics for all 98 million tests give the baseline.
Failure lists and mileage by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Hyundai i20 2022 85.1% pass 8,037 tests84.8% at first MOT
On a 2022 Hyundai i20, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 49.8% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 9.4%.
2022 cars pass 85.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 80% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 85.4% | 7,414 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.2% | 550 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.4% | 63 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80% | 5 |
| Over 100,000 | 80% | 5 |
By fuel: hybrid 84.4% (6,652 tests), petrol 88.4% (1,385 tests).
Hyundai i20 2021 86.9% pass 11,906 tests85.9% at first MOT
On a 2021 Hyundai i20, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 46.8% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 8.5%.
2021 cars pass 87.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 57.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.2% | 10,659 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84.9% | 1,079 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.8% | 130 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 90.3% | 31 |
| Over 100,000 | 57.1% | 7 |
By fuel: hybrid 87% (8,333 tests), petrol 86.6% (3,573 tests).
Hyundai i20 2020 89.5% pass 12,522 tests91.4% at first MOT
On a 2020 Hyundai i20, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 26.8% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 10.1%.
2020 cars pass 90.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 77.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 90.4% | 10,626 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 84.9% | 1,577 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.7% | 248 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 83.3% | 48 |
| Over 100,000 | 77.3% | 22 |
By fuel: petrol 89.8% (11,648 tests), hybrid 86.4% (874 tests).
Hyundai i20 2019 87.9% pass 21,868 tests
On a 2019 Hyundai i20, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 24.3% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 10.3%.
2019 cars pass 89.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 72.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.8% | 16,238 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.4% | 4,296 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.1% | 1,038 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 75.5% | 229 |
| Over 100,000 | 72.3% | 65 |
Hyundai i20 2018 85.7% pass 25,643 tests
On a 2018 Hyundai i20, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 18.3% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 11.4%.
2018 cars pass 89.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 66.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.3% | 15,140 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.6% | 7,047 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 78.2% | 2,525 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 75.5% | 607 |
| Over 100,000 | 66.4% | 324 |
Hyundai i20 2017 83% pass 34,684 tests
On a 2017 Hyundai i20, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 14.5% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 11.6%.
2017 cars pass 88% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 73.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 88% | 15,201 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.5% | 11,334 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 77% | 5,495 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 72.5% | 1,852 |
| Over 100,000 | 73.6% | 800 |
Hyundai i20 2016 80.9% pass 40,893 tests
On a 2016 Hyundai i20, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 11.6% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 10.9%.
2016 cars pass 87.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 67.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87.4% | 13,798 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.2% | 13,806 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75.5% | 8,216 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 72.3% | 3,346 |
| Over 100,000 | 67.2% | 1,725 |
By fuel: petrol 81.1% (38,442 tests), diesel 76.5% (2,451 tests).
Hyundai i20 2015 79% pass 38,017 tests
On a 2015 Hyundai i20, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 10.9% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 10.1%.
2015 cars pass 87% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 67.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 87% | 9,345 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 80.6% | 12,005 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 75.7% | 9,371 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 71.9% | 4,649 |
| Over 100,000 | 67.8% | 2,646 |
By fuel: petrol 79.7% (34,256 tests), diesel 73.1% (3,761 tests).
Hyundai i20 2014 69.5% pass 38,657 tests
On a 2014 Hyundai i20, a sidelight not working appears on 16.4% of failed tests, with ball joint no longer prevents the ingress of dirt next at 10.1%.
2014 cars pass 82.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 53.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 82.9% | 8,984 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 72.3% | 11,708 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 64.5% | 9,816 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 58.5% | 5,030 |
| Over 100,000 | 53.3% | 3,118 |
By fuel: petrol 69.8% (37,308 tests), diesel 58.9% (1,347 tests).
Hyundai i20 2013 61.9% pass 37,012 tests
On a 2013 Hyundai i20, a sidelight not working appears on 20.9% of failed tests, with ball joint no longer prevents the ingress of dirt next at 16.8%.
2013 cars pass 77.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 50.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.2% | 6,483 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 65.6% | 10,102 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 58.9% | 10,194 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 52.2% | 6,140 |
| Over 100,000 | 50.6% | 4,076 |
By fuel: petrol 62.3% (34,696 tests), diesel 56.7% (2,311 tests).
Hyundai i20 2012 59.6% pass 28,483 tests
On a 2012 Hyundai i20, a sidelight not working appears on 20.6% of failed tests, with ball joint no longer prevents the ingress of dirt next at 15.5%.
2012 cars pass 76.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 50% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 76.6% | 4,018 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 64.6% | 6,741 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 56.8% | 7,663 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 52.8% | 5,777 |
| Over 100,000 | 50% | 4,283 |
By fuel: petrol 59.7% (27,591 tests), diesel 56.4% (892 tests).
Hyundai i20 2011 60% pass 28,439 tests
On a 2011 Hyundai i20, a sidelight not working appears on 22.5% of failed tests, with a number plate light not working next at 11.5%.
2011 cars pass 78.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 49.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 78.1% | 2,877 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.4% | 5,331 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 60.7% | 7,234 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.2% | 6,423 |
| Over 100,000 | 49.1% | 6,571 |
By fuel: petrol 60.6% (26,244 tests), diesel 52.5% (2,195 tests).
Hyundai i20 2010 60% pass 28,295 tests
On a 2010 Hyundai i20, a sidelight not working appears on 19.4% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 13%.
2010 cars pass 77.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 50.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.2% | 2,732 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 69.4% | 4,999 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 61.2% | 7,036 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.1% | 6,518 |
| Over 100,000 | 50.1% | 7,004 |
By fuel: petrol 60.4% (26,709 tests), diesel 54.1% (1,582 tests).
Hyundai i20 2009 58.1% pass 27,260 tests
On a 2009 Hyundai i20, a sidelight not working appears on 22.3% of failed tests, with a brake light not working next at 16.3%.
2009 cars pass 75.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 49.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 75.6% | 2,758 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 65.9% | 4,541 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 58.8% | 6,294 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 54% | 6,078 |
| Over 100,000 | 49.7% | 7,584 |
By fuel: petrol 58.4% (25,389 tests), diesel 53.3% (1,871 tests).
Questions people ask
Is the Hyundai i20 reliable?
On MOT evidence the Hyundai i20 is about average. It passes 72.9% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 0.6 points. 86.7% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 381,716 DVSA tests.
What are the most common Hyundai i20 MOT failures?
Wipers not clearing the screen (12.3% of failed tests), a sidelight not working (9.9%) and an empty washer bottle (8.4%). An empty washer bottle fails the test. It sounds trivial because it is, and it still accounts for thousands of failures a year.
Which Hyundai i20 year is the most reliable?
Among years with a large sample, 2020 cars have the highest pass rate at 89.5% and 2009 cars the lowest at 58.1%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a Hyundai i20 usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 12.8% of all i20 tests, then a damaged tyre sidewall (12.4%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Hyundai i20 do?
About 6,252 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is close to the UK average of roughly 7,400.
How do I check a particular Hyundai i20?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Own a i20?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 6,252 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.