2020 Hyundai i30 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 5,214 MOT tests, the 2020 Hyundai i30 recorded a 90.3% pass rate. That is effectively the same as small family cars of a similar age (8.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.9%) and visibility (3.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 181 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 19.4% versus 8.7%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 9.7% of the time against 10.1% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.9% | 257 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.7% | 192 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 78 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.4% | 71 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 68 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 40 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 181 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 95 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 53 |
| 4 | Washers | 50 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 47 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 41 |
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 | 22.1% | 1,151 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.0% | 522 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.0% | 261 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.0% | 258 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 169 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 55 |
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 | 2,689 | 8.7% |
| 30-60k | 1,990 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 358 | 13.1% |
| 90-120k | 118 | 14.4% |
| 120-150k | 36 | 19.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,633 | 9.7% |
| Diesel | 577 | 10.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 67 | 10.4% |
| 2023 | 1,702 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 1,704 | 10.6% |
| 2025 | 1,722 | 9.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 i30
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.9% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.9% 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.
- Visibility (3.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.5% 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 2020 Hyundai i30s pass their MOT?
90.3% of the 5,214 2020 Hyundai i30 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Hyundai i30?
Tyres, recorded in 4.9% of tests, followed by visibility (3.7%).
Does the 2020 i30 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.7% in the 0-30k band to 19.4% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,214 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.