Used car guide

2020 Hyundai i30: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2020 Hyundai i30s, from 1,535 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,535MOT tests in 2025
87%pass first time (all 2020 cars: 86%)
7,500typical miles a year
3.8×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2020 Hyundai i30s than on all cars registered in 2020.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints3.8× usual
    Hyundai i30
    6.9% All 2020 cars
    1.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 0.3% of all 2020 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

By area

The share of 2020 Hyundai i30 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    27% 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
    14% 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.

  • Suspension
    8% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% 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
    4% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Exhaust and emissions
    1% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

    At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20221,076Tyres 22%
20211,284Tyres 25%
20194,153Tyres 29%
20187,349Tyres 32%
20176,727Tyres 30%
20169,432Tyres 32%
201513,472Tyres 33%
20149,671Suspension 38%
201310,152Suspension 43%
20128,416Suspension 49%
20118,382Suspension 48%
20109,295Suspension 55%
20097,558Suspension 57%
20082,120Suspension 65%
2007729Suspension 64%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2020 Hyundai i30s registered in 2020. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score