Reliability, safety, running costs and what to check before you buy.
Enter a registration number to see MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and more for any Hyundai i20.
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With 154,245 currently licensed in the UK, the Hyundai i20 is one of Britain's most popular cars.
Euro NCAP awarded the i20 5 stars in 2020, with 84% adult occupant and 82% child protection scores.
It has a 80.5% first-time MOT pass rate — above the UK national average of 72%. Common MOT failure areas include lighting, brakes, suspension.
Annual running costs are estimated at £2,509 for a typical 5-year-old example, breaking down to £209/month or 31p/mile.
NCAP Safety
2020
MOT Pass Rate
80.5%
120,000 tests
Monthly Cost
£209
est. annual total
New From
£20,000
Euro NCAP tested the i20 in 2020 and awarded it 5 out of 5 stars.
Adult Occupant
84%
Child Occupant
82%
Pedestrian
65%
Safety Assist
78%
There are 3 known DVSA recalls affecting the Hyundai i20. Enter a registration number to check whether a specific vehicle is affected.
R/2025/272
The vehicle fuel pump may have an internal malfunction which may fail over time. In case of a fuel pump malfunction the instrument cluster warning light may illuminate and if ignored the vehicle may lose motive power.
Build dates: 2021-04-01 to 2023-01-31
R/2024/171
On affected vehicles they may experience a transmission malfunction resulting in a loss of drive
Build dates: 2023-03-28 to 2024-01-15
R/2021/014
The vehicle VIN information may not be registered correctly within the eCall unit.
Build dates: 2020-08-24 to 2020-12-07
Based on 120,000 MOT tests, the i20 has a first-time pass rate of 80.5% — above the UK national average of 72%.
This is a positive sign for reliability. The i20 is less likely to have issues at MOT time than the average car on UK roads.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old Hyundai i20 are estimated at around £2,509 per year, or £209 per month.
Fuel
£1,101
/year
Road Tax
£195
/year
Depreciation
£808
/year
MOT
£55
/year
Estimated annual running costs based on available data. Excludes insurance, parking, and finance costs. Actual costs depend on your driving habits and circumstances.
The i20 achieves a combined fuel economy of around 47.9 mpg (40.4 mpg urban, 43.5 mpg extra-urban).
| Variant | Fuel | Combined | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| I20 | PETROL | 47.9 mpg | 1.0L |
| I20 | PETROL/ELECTRIC | 55.4 mpg | 1.0L |
| I20 | DIESEL | 70.6 mpg | 1.1L |
| I20 | PETROL | 46.3 mpg | 1.2L |
| I20 | PETROL | 44.1 mpg | 1.4L |
| I20 | PETROL | 52.3 mpg | 1.4L |
| I20 | DIESEL | 67.3 mpg | 1.4L |
| I20 | PETROL | 40.4 mpg | 1.6L |
Starting from £20,000 new, a Hyundai i20 typically retains about 56% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years.
| Age | Retained | Est. Value | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 75% | £15,000 | −£5,000 |
| 2 years | 64% | £12,750 | −£7,250 |
| 3 years | 56% | £11,200 | −£8,800 |
| 4 years | 50% | £10,100 | −£9,900 |
| 5 years | 46% | £9,300 | −£10,700 |
| 6 years | 43% | £8,650 | −£11,350 |
| 7 years | 41% | £8,100 | −£11,900 |
| 8 years | 39% | £7,700 | −£12,300 |
| 9 years | 37% | £7,350 | −£12,650 |
| 10 years | 35% | £6,950 | −£13,050 |
There are currently 154,245 licensed and 3,175 SORN i20s in the UK (157,420 total). This makes it a very common vehicle on UK roads.
The i20 has a 80.5% first-time MOT pass rate based on 120,000 tests — above the UK national average of 72%. This suggests good overall reliability.
Euro NCAP awarded the i20 5 out of 5 stars when tested in 2020. It scored 84% for adult occupant protection, 82% for child occupant protection, 65% for vulnerable road users, and 78% for safety assist features.
Annual running costs for a typical 5-year-old i20 are estimated at around £2,509 per year (£209/month). This includes fuel, road tax, depreciation, and MOT fees — but excludes insurance, servicing, and repairs.
There are 3 known safety recalls affecting the i20. These are issued by the DVSA when a safety defect is found. You can check if a specific vehicle is affected by entering its registration number.
A new i20 starts from around £20,000. After 5 years, a typical example retains about 46% of its original value.
Enter the registration to check its full MOT history, tax status, mileage, recalls and estimated value — all free.
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