2012 Hyundai I20 MOT pass rate: 69.1% (28,476 tests)

2012-registered Hyundai I20s passed 69.1% of 28,476 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 2.2 points worse than same-age cars (71.2%). This is one of the lower-scoring I20 years after correcting for vehicle age — inspect the individual car carefully.

69.1%Pass rate, 2012 cars

97.8Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

28,476Tests analysed

68,921 miMedian mileage at test

69.2% / 65.7%Petrol vs diesel pass rate

Is the 2012 I20 getting worse?

Pass rate of 2012-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	70.5% -1.8 vs same-age
2024	68.4% -2.6 vs same-age
2025	68.2% -2.1 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2012 I20

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Brakes	6,236	25.0%
2	Suspension	5,845	23.5%
3	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	5,203	20.9%
4	Tyres	2,086	8.4%
5	Visibility	1,832	7.4%
6	Noise, emissions and leaks	1,391	5.6%

All I20 years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2009	27,260	68.9%	+2.5 pts	80,115
2010	28,295	69.1%	+1.8 pts	78,261
2011	28,434	68.5%	-0.7 pts	76,824
2012 (this page)	28,476	69.1%	-2.2 pts	68,921
2013	37,005	71.6%	-1.7 pts	63,418
2014	38,651	77.8%	+1.9 pts	57,743
2015	38,006	84.0%	+5.3 pts	55,909
2016	40,889	85.5%	+4.2 pts	49,191
2017	34,674	87.4%	+3.4 pts	43,320
2018	25,643	89.9%	+3.5 pts	35,636
2019	21,863	91.4%	+3.0 pts	28,767
2020	11,535	93.3%	+3.4 pts	22,880

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Hyundai I20 years to avoid.

Buying a 2012 I20? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

FAQs

Is a 2012 Hyundai I20 reliable?

2012-registered examples passed 69.1% of their MOT tests (28,476 tests, 2023–2025), -2.2 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 14 years old with a median 68,921 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2012 I20?

The median tested example shows 68,921 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Should I buy the petrol or diesel 2012 I20?

In this cohort petrols pass 69.2% of tests against 65.7% for diesels. Mileage and use can explain part of that gap, so treat it as a reason to inspect DPF and emissions history, not a fuel-type verdict.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.