Used car guide

2014 Hyundai i20: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2014 Hyundai i20s, from 12,870 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

12,870MOT tests in 2025
67%pass first time (all 2014 cars: 69%)
5,700typical miles a year
3.8×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2014 Hyundai i20s than on all cars registered in 2014.

  • Rigid brake pipes3.8× usual
    Hyundai i20
    13.7% All 2014 cars
    3.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.9%, against 0.5% of all 2014 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Ball joint dust cover3.2× usual
    Hyundai i20
    7.1% All 2014 cars
    2.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.5%, against 0.9% of all 2014 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Sidelights2.1× usual
    Hyundai i20
    5.9% All 2014 cars
    2.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.6%, against 2.4% of all 2014 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Battery9× usual
    Hyundai i20
    2.7% All 2014 cars
    0.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.1% of all 2014 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£200 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the car starts cleanly and there are no warning lights once running.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 3.1% here, against 8.2% of all 2014 cars.

By area

The share of 2014 Hyundai i20 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    32% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    30% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    24% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    24% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    9% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    4% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

Looking at a Hyundai i20?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20224,409Tyres 20%
20213,794Tyres 22%
20204,034Tyres 26%
20197,397Tyres 28%
20188,678Tyres 28%
201711,709Tyres 28%
201613,780Tyres 28%
201512,739Tyres 28%
201312,239Brakes 36%
20129,308Brakes 39%
20119,062Brakes 46%
20108,820Brakes 45%
20098,391Brakes 43%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2014 Hyundai i20s registered in 2014. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score