2016 Hyundai i20 — MOT failures & pass rate
77,537 MOT tests on the 2016 Hyundai i20 are in this dataset, and 88.6% of them passed. Against superminis of a similar age (15.6% fail rate), the 2016 i20 comes out 4.2pp better. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.6%) and tyres (4.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, washers and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 2,502 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.2% versus 6.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 11.2% fail against 14.5% for diesel, a 3.4-point gap across 77,537 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.6% | 3,576 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.5% | 3,514 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 3,073 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.4% | 2,596 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 1,053 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 735 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,502 |
| 2 | Washers | 1,829 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,512 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,476 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 1,349 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 1,063 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.7% | 19,175 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.6% | 12,881 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.8% | 5,304 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.6% | 2,759 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.5% | 2,737 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 1,863 |
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 | 19,782 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 38,508 | 10.9% |
| 60-90k | 15,041 | 16.4% |
| 90-120k | 3,295 | 18.6% |
| 120-150k | 646 | 22.4% |
| 150k+ | 256 | 24.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 72,700 | 11.2% |
| Diesel | 4,837 | 14.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,121 | 8.2% |
| 2022 | 15,424 | 10.3% |
| 2023 | 15,479 | 11.1% |
| 2024 | 15,667 | 12.9% |
| 2025 | 15,846 | 14.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 i20
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.6% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.6% 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.
- Tyres (4.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (4.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2016 Hyundai i20s pass their MOT?
88.6% of the 77,537 2016 Hyundai i20 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Hyundai i20?
Visibility, recorded in 4.6% of tests, followed by tyres (4.5%).
Does the 2016 i20 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 24.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 77,537 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.