Used car guide

2019 Hyundai i20: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2019 Hyundai i20s, from 7,397 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

7,397MOT tests in 2025
86%pass first time (all 2019 cars: 84%)
5,900typical miles a year
1.8×the usual rate for wipers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2019 Hyundai i20s than on all cars registered in 2019.

  • Wipers1.8× usual
    Hyundai i20
    4.7% All 2019 cars
    2.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3%, against 1.6% of all 2019 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

  • Braking performance2.4× usual
    Hyundai i20
    2.6% All 2019 cars
    1.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.6%, against 0.3% of all 2019 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

By area

The share of 2019 Hyundai i20 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    28% 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.

  • Brakes
    16% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    8% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Lights and electrics
    6% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Suspension
    4% 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.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a Hyundai i20?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20224,409Tyres 20%
20213,794Tyres 22%
20204,034Tyres 26%
20188,678Tyres 28%
201711,709Tyres 28%
201613,780Tyres 28%
201512,739Tyres 28%
201412,870Brakes 32%
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 2019 Hyundai i20s registered in 2019. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score