2010 Hyundai i20 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 63,142 MOT tests, the 2010 Hyundai i20 recorded a 76.8% pass rate. That is 1.8 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 25.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.8%) and brakes (12.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, service brake performance and stop lamp — position lamp alone was recorded 4,195 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.4% versus 12.4%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 23.0% fail against 27.0% for diesel, a 4.0-point gap across 63,142 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 36.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 21.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 8,684 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.1% | 7,641 |
| 3 | Visibility | 6.7% | 4,247 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.0% | 3,776 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.7% | 2,942 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.3% | 1,436 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 4,195 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 3,346 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 2,955 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 2,722 |
| 5 | Washers | 2,600 |
| 6 | Wipers | 2,365 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 36.0% | 22,714 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.9% | 17,009 |
| 3 | Suspension | 23.2% | 14,621 |
| 4 | Other defects | 13.8% | 8,693 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.9% | 7,527 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.4% | 3,393 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 3,123 | 12.4% |
| 30-60k | 15,971 | 17.8% |
| 60-90k | 23,971 | 24.0% |
| 90-120k | 14,532 | 27.8% |
| 120-150k | 4,359 | 30.1% |
| 150k+ | 1,165 | 29.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 59,398 | 23.0% |
| Diesel | 3,744 | 27.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,486 | 21.1% |
| 2022 | 13,274 | 22.2% |
| 2023 | 12,909 | 23.7% |
| 2024 | 12,338 | 24.9% |
| 2025 | 11,135 | 24.5% |
What to check before buying a 2010 i20
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.1% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Visibility (6.7% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2010 Hyundai i20s pass their MOT?
76.8% of the 63,142 2010 Hyundai i20 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Hyundai i20?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.8% of tests, followed by brakes (12.1%).
Does the 2010 i20 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.4% in the 0-30k band to 29.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 63,142 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.