Diesel Hyundai I20: MOT pass rate

70.5% of diesel Hyundai I20s pass the MOT first time, measured across 5,761 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 89,134.

Diesel against the other Hyundai I20 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Hyundai I20 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 79.1%, and this diesel version sits 8.2 points below the 78.7% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Hyundai I20 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Hyundai I20 had covered 89,134 miles at test, against 60,430 for the petrol. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Hyundai I20 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Hyundai I20

1. Smoke opacity levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limit, 1.9% of tests (7.2x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 3.9% of tests (3.68x the national rate for this defect)
3. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 4.8% of tests (2.61x the national rate for this defect)
4. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 3.1% of tests (2.34x the national rate for this defect)
5. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4.8% of tests (2.17x the national rate for this defect)
6. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 3.3% of tests (1.94x the national rate for this defect)
7. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.8% of tests (1.75x the national rate for this defect)
8. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 2.9% of tests (1.55x the national rate for this defect)
9. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 2% of tests (1.54x the national rate for this defect)
10. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.1% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this defect)

From 5,801 DVSA-tracked diesel Hyundai I20 tests, 2024, split out from the Hyundai I20's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 4.73% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel Hyundai I20

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 18.7% of tests (3.01x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 5.4% of tests (2.68x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 2.9% of tests (2.26x the national rate for this defect)
4. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.4% of tests (1.76x the national rate for this defect)
5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 18.8% of tests (1.53x the national rate for this defect)
6. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 6.7% of tests (1.3x the national rate for this defect)
7. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 6.1% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect)
8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 29.9% of tests
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 15.7% of tests
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 11.8% of tests

From 5,801 DVSA-tracked diesel Hyundai I20 tests, 2024.

Other Hyundai I20 fuel types

• Petrol Hyundai I20 - 79.1%

All Hyundai I20 MOT data · Every model