Used buying checklist

Hyundai Ix20 reliability, common problems and used buying checks

A used Hyundai Ix20 looks about average for reliability in UK MOT data: 17.6% of 35,297 tests failed, compared with 18.7% across all indexed models. A good example should have a clean MOT history for suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and windscreen, wipers, and mirrors.

Sources used: DVSA MOT tests (Apr 2026); vehicle recalls (Apr 2026); MOT fault wording (May 2025). MOT data does not capture every reliability issue, especially intermittent engine, gearbox or infotainment faults that do not appear during the test.

• 17.6% MOT failure rate
• Median tested mileage 44,376 miles
• 6,203 failed MOT tests analysed

Most useful finding

Suspension and steering is the clearest area to check

Suspension and steering is the clearest named problem area in this model's MOT history (17.8 MOT notes per 100 tests). Example MOT phrases from this area include ball joint has excessive play, play in steering rack inner joint(s), and ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated.

Example MOT phrases to search in the car's history:

• ball joint has excessive play
• Play in steering rack inner joint(s)
• ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated
• ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment
• excessively corroded
• corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
• corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened
• ferrule excessively corroded
• does not clear the windscreen effectively
• damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view

Before you view one

Focus on suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and windscreen, wipers, and mirrors

The model's recorded failure rate is 17.6%, -1.2 percentage points compared with the average across all models. Use the seller questions below to check whether repeat MOT notes have actually been repaired.

• MOT tests analysed35,297 tests
• Median tested mileage44,376 miles
• Failed MOT tests6,203

Used buyer verdict

Should you buy a used Hyundai Ix20?

82.4% of the MOT tests we analysed for this model passed. The model's recorded failure rate is 17.6%, -1.2 percentage points compared with the average across all models. This is a buying brief for the exact car in front of you: clean repeat history matters more than badge reputation.

About average in our MOT data

Green light if The car has a tidy MOT pattern, recent repairs for suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and windscreen, wipers, and mirrors, matching tyres, and paperwork for service or recall work.

Renegotiate if The latest MOT mentions suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and windscreen, wipers, and mirrors, consumables are due together, or the seller cannot show what was fixed after advisories.

Walk away if Dangerous defects, corrosion near structural areas, warning lights, or the same component family keep returning without clear repair evidence.

• Repeat unresolved MOT notes for suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and windscreen, wipers, and mirrors
• suspension and steering appearing across more than one MOT
• Any dangerous MOT failure on the exact car, especially if the same area appears again later
• No paperwork showing applicable recall work has been completed
• A seller who cannot explain MOT wording such as "ball joint has excessive play"

What should I check first?

Start with suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, windscreen, wipers, and mirrors, and lights and electrical. The checklist on this page explains why each area is being recommended, what to inspect, and what to ask the seller. Each item shows whether it comes from MOT results, recall notices, or a standard used-car check.

• Suspension and steering Seen in MOT results

  Suspension and steering is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (17.8 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Listen for knocks, check uneven tyre wear, and inspect steering play.

  • Ask the seller: Has any suspension, steering, ball-joint, spring, or wheel-bearing advisory been repaired?
  • Example MOT wording: ball joint has excessive play; Play in steering rack inner joint(s); ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated
  • Where it shows up: seen across most mileage ranges
• Corrosion and structure Seen in MOT results

  Corrosion and structure is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (12.8 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Inspect sills, subframes, mounting points, arches, and underside corrosion advisories.

  • Ask the seller: Has any sill, subframe, mounting-point, chassis, or structural corrosion advisory been repaired properly?
  • Example MOT wording: excessively corroded; corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced; corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened
  • Where it shows up: seen across most mileage ranges
• Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors Seen in MOT results

  Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (6.0 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check windscreen damage, wiper operation, washers, mirrors, and demisting.

  • Ask the seller: Have windscreen, wiper, washer, mirror, or demisting faults appeared in recent MOT history?
  • Example MOT wording: does not clear the windscreen effectively; damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view; Items removed from drivers view prior to test
  • Where it shows up: most visible around 0-50k, 50-100k, and 100-150k miles
• Lights and electrical Seen in MOT results

  Lights and electrical is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (5.9 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check every lamp, warning light, horn, battery condition, and dashboard messages.

  • Ask the seller: Have any lighting, warning-light, horn, battery, or electrical MOT notes come back more than once?
  • Example MOT wording: adversely affected by the operation of another lamp; inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources; inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
  • Where it shows up: seen across most mileage ranges
• Emissions, engine, and exhaust Seen in MOT results

  Emissions, engine, and exhaust is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (2.6 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check warning lights, smoke, exhaust leaks, recent emissions failures, and service history.

  • Ask the seller: Has the car had repeat emissions, smoke, exhaust, lambda, or engine-warning MOT failures?
  • Example MOT wording: leaking excessively from engine; has a major leak of exhaust gases; emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit
  • Where it shows up: most visible around 150-200k and 200k+ miles
• Tyres and wheels Seen in MOT results

  Tyres and wheels is one of the most common MOT problem areas for this model (1.9 MOT notes per 100 tests).

  What to check: Check tyre age, tread depth, sidewall damage, wheel condition, and alignment wear.

  • Ask the seller: Have uneven tyre wear, damaged tyres, wheel damage, or alignment issues been corrected?
  • Example MOT wording: on a single line braking system has inadequate effort at a wheel; on a single line braking system has no recorded effort at a wheel; Nail in tyre

What changes with mileage?

Past 100k miles on the Hyundai Ix20, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and lights and electrical.

Common MOT problem areas

35,297 MOT tests analysed for this model

28,252 Distinct vehicles represented

17.6% Recorded MOT test failure rate — -1.2 percentage points vs all models

Common faults: what usually fails on this model?

Suspension and steering is the clearest named problem area in the MOT history (17.8 MOT notes per 100 tests). These counts are issue notes, not failure rates, because a single MOT can list several faults.

Suspension and steering

• ball joint has excessive play
• Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

17.8 MOT notes per 100 tests

Corrosion and structure

• excessively corroded
• corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced

12.8 MOT notes per 100 tests

Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors

• does not clear the windscreen effectively
• damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view

6.0 MOT notes per 100 tests

Lights and electrical

• adversely affected by the operation of another lamp
• inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

5.9 MOT notes per 100 tests

Emissions, engine, and exhaust

• leaking excessively from engine
• has a major leak of exhaust gases

2.6 MOT notes per 100 tests

Tyres and wheels

• on a single line braking system has inadequate effort at a wheel
• on a single line braking system has no recorded effort at a wheel

1.9 MOT notes per 100 tests

Brakes

• not releasing correctly and functionality of brakes affected

0.0 MOT notes per 100 tests

Recall-related areas to verify

Official recall areas

Manufacturer recall notices for the Hyundai Ix20 mainly involve one area: brakes. Treat each as something to verify on the specific car you are viewing; the recall table below shows the official notice text.

Brakes

• Corrosion may affect handbrake performance

1 recall · 5,843 vehicles

Mileage and age checks

Mileage changes: what starts showing up after high mileage?

Past 100k miles on the Hyundai Ix20, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and lights and electrical. On lower-mileage cars, the most common named areas are corrosion and structure, suspension and steering, and windscreen, wipers, and mirrors.

Mileage range	Tests	Vehicles	Failure rate (vs all models)	Median mileage
0-50k	20,249	17,474	11.6%+0.8 percentage points vs all models	30,392 miles
50-100k	12,908	9,430	24.7%+4.0 percentage points vs all models	66,925 miles
100-150k	1,846	1,227	32.9%+6.7 percentage points vs all models	112,258 miles
150-200k	130	87	32.3%+5.0 percentage points vs all models	161,243 miles
200k+	25	17	36.0%+9.4 percentage points vs all models	212,820 miles

Problem areas by mileage

Past 100k miles on the Hyundai Ix20, MOT records most often point to suspension and steering, corrosion and structure, and lights and electrical.

Mileage range	Car areas most often recorded	Specific MOT defect examples
0-50k	Corrosion and structure (6.8 MOT notes per 100 tests) Suspension and steering (5.8 MOT notes per 100 tests) Windscreen, wipers, and mirrors (5.4 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
50-100k	Suspension and steering (31.8 MOT notes per 100 tests) Corrosion and structure (20.1 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (9.5 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
100-150k	Suspension and steering (49.8 MOT notes per 100 tests) Corrosion and structure (25.5 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (18.1 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
150-200k	Suspension and steering (49.2 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (26.1 MOT notes per 100 tests) Corrosion and structure (19.2 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.
200k+	Corrosion and structure (60.0 MOT notes per 100 tests) Suspension and steering (56.0 MOT notes per 100 tests) Lights and electrical (28.0 MOT notes per 100 tests)	No exact MOT wording is available for this mileage range.

Fair comparisons: is this problem normal for its age?

The MOT failure rate rises from 2.0% at 0-3 years to 25.7% at 10-15 years. Compare the car with the nearest age range before treating a fault as normal wear or a warning sign. The average MOT failure rate across all models in the same dataset is 18.7%. The highest failure rate by age is 25.7% for 10-15 years cars, based on 12,068 tests.

Age range	Tests	Vehicles	Failure rate (vs all models)	Median age
0-3 years 2023–2026 reg.	100	98	2.0%-6.4 percentage points vs all models	3.0 years
3-6 years 2020–2023 reg.	6,855	6,308	7.3%-3.3 percentage points vs all models	5.0 years
6-10 years 2016–2020 reg.	16,274	13,509	16.0%-0.7 percentage points vs all models	8.0 years
10-15 years 2011–2016 reg.	12,068	8,624	25.7%+2.2 percentage points vs all models	11.3 years

Recall records and data freshness

Recall context: are there safety notices to know about?

1 relevant recall notice appear for this model. Treat them as safety checks to verify for the exact car, not as normal MOT wear.

2012-10-31	CORROSION MAY AFFECT HANDBRAKE PERFORMANCE As a result of water ingress and attendant corrosion in the rear calipers the parking brake may not hold the vehicle on a hill when normal force has been applied to the parking brake lever. Recall vehicles likely to be affected to either clean the axle and housing or fit new seals. Where necessary the rear calipers will be replaced.

Related searches

Common ways people look up the Hyundai Ix20. Each link runs the search and lands on the relevant section of this report.

• Hyundai Ix20 common problems
• Hyundai Ix20 reliability
• Hyundai Ix20 after 100k miles
• Hyundai Ix20 after 200k miles
• Hyundai Ix20 high mileage common problems
• Hyundai Ix20 age related problems
• Hyundai Ix20 MOT failures
• Hyundai Ix20 recalls

Related reliability guides

Sources used: DVSA MOT tests (Apr 2026); vehicle recalls (Apr 2026); MOT fault wording (May 2025). These are patterns from many MOT tests and recall notices. They help you decide what to inspect and what to ask; they do not certify the condition of one specific car.