2018 Hyundai i20 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 46,963 MOT tests, the 2018 Hyundai i20 recorded a 92.3% pass rate. Against superminis of a similar age (11.2% fail rate), the 2018 i20 comes out 3.5pp better. Failures cluster in visibility, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.2%) and lighting & signalling (3.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and washers — wipers alone was recorded 1,536 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.4% once past 150k — 5.3× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.2% | 1,960 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.9% | 1,826 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.3% | 1,531 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.7% | 797 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.3% | 154 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 147 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,536 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,118 |
| 3 | Washers | 783 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 740 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 560 |
| 6 | Daytime running lamps | 347 |
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 | 20.5% | 9,609 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.2% | 4,775 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.0% | 2,842 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.2% | 1,512 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.7% | 787 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.3% | 629 |
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 | 24,334 | 4.8% |
| 30-60k | 18,234 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 3,669 | 14.4% |
| 90-120k | 546 | 17.9% |
| 120-150k | 117 | 18.8% |
| 150k+ | 63 | 25.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 46,539 | 7.6% |
| Diesel | 424 | 13.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,227 | 4.8% |
| 2022 | 9,284 | 5.9% |
| 2023 | 9,411 | 7.6% |
| 2024 | 9,446 | 9.6% |
| 2025 | 9,595 | 10.5% |
What to check before buying a 2018 i20
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.2% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.3% 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.
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 2018 Hyundai i20s pass their MOT?
92.3% of the 46,963 2018 Hyundai i20 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Hyundai i20?
Visibility, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.9%).
Does the 2018 i20 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.8% in the 0-30k band to 25.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 46,963 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.