Outstanding example of this highly regarded hatchback, combining plenty of room for all the family with economical running costs and that famed Hyundai reliability with a comprehensive specification. Very well maintained with excellent history, fully valeted, and just given a full service and new MoT, and with new tyres all round recently. Specification includes cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring, traction control, electric windows and mirrors, lane departure warning, remote radio controls, Bluetooth, CD-player and alloy wheels etc etc.
In the details below, you’ll find full details of the specification, vehicle history, and a thoroughly detailed condition report.
Seventeen large-format photos also below!
The Back Story
Hyundai have firmly established a place for themselves in the UK car market, with a reputation for cars that are solidly built and hugely reliable, whilst also meeting driver’s needs for comfort, road manners and economy. The i20 is their smaller hatchback, perhaps not surprisingly larger than an i10 and smaller than the i30!
This example has been owned by my friend and former work colleague Soren, who bought the car in January 2023 as a car for his adult children to use. Three years later, and Soren was seduced by the promotional offer of a new Seat Ibiza as replacement – so it’s time for the i20 to find a new home! I’ve bought several cars from Soren over the years to take into stock – I know he always maintains them well and looks after them.
Soren lives in Edinburgh, and the deal on the Seat Ibiza was from a dealer in Leeds – so we agreed to meet there… he drove the i20 down from Edinburgh to Leeds to collect the Seat, and I took the train to Leeds and drove the i20 back home here to Gloucestershire. It performed very well on the drive home, being comfortable and quiet on the motorway and very economical too!
Hyundai i20 Ownership in General
This example is one of the second generation of i20, which took over from the first generation in 2015, and continued in production until 2020 when the current generation was launched. There was a minor facelift of the i20 in June 2018 – this example pre-dates that, as it was first sold in March 2018.
Like all Hyundais, it’s well respected in the trade for its driveability, build quality and reliability – that’s why Hyundai offer their new cars with a seven year warranty. There’s no hint of a squeak or rattle on this example, and the handling and roadholding remains assured and competent.
As outlined above, I drove this car back from Leeds – a journey of about 200 miles and four hours. During this, the i20 performed very well indeed. It cruises smoothly, quietly and comfortably, the audio system is good, there is loads of room in the car, and everything works as it should. It’s not going to set the road on fire, but that’s not really what this car is designed for. It has plenty enough power from the 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine, which produces 83bhp and 122NM torque; that gets it up to 60mph in around 12 secs, and on to a maximum speed of 106mph (where legal, of course!).
This example is the 1.2 SE MPi (multipoint injection). Hyundai model ranges are confusing, with lots of different trim levels and special editions – but the SE model is roughly in the middle of the specification range, bringing some crucial safety equipment which is missing from the more basic models.
This version is also super-economical. Being a Petrol Euro 6, it is ULEZ compliant, and car tax is only £195 a year. The combined fuel economy is a excellent 58.9mpg and even the cold urban efficiency test produces 47.1mpg, making this car easy to justify on cost grounds!
Specification of this example
Despite being supposedly a “city car”, this example has pretty much everything that you could reasonably want or expect by way of useful equipment! The equipment roster features air conditioning, 10-spoke alloy wheels, electric windows all round, electric mirrors, cruise control, remote radio controls, Bluetooth, RDS radio with CD-player, aux and USB inputs, front and rear foglamps, and height adjustable driver’s seat and steering wheel.
It also boasts a full complement of safety equipment, including driver’s, passenger’s, side and curtain airbags, five seats each with a head restraint and three-point seat belt, anti-lock brakes, Traction Control, Lane Departure warning system, seatbelt pre-tensioners, and ISOFIX mountings to the outer rear seats.
This car’s condition
It’s immediately apparent that this Hyundai has been looked after exceptionally well. I’ve bought several cars from Soren in the past, and they have always been well-presented, in good condition, with good service history.
The Polar White paintwork on this example is bright and shiny, set off by the 15” alloy wheels. At this mileage, you might expect there to be some signs of use – but this example is much better than you might anticipate. There’s no trolley dents or scuffs or any significant scratches – just a couple of minor stonechips and some marks to the bottom of the front bumper where it has been caught, to evidence the mileage. The whole car presents very well indeed and looks smart throughout. The interior is also immaculate, and is a comfortable place to be, with two-tone grey fabric seats. The driver’s seat is height adjustable too, for added comfort. There’s no damage to the upholstery, and with the carpets protected from new with good quality overmats. There’s no cigarette lighter or front ashtray, suggesting that the car has been owned by non-smokers.
It’s in great condition mechanically too. There’s a thorough service history, with a service book showing six services, with the latest one completed by my mechanics prior to this sale. Like most Hyundais, the camshaft in this engine is driven by chain, rather than by belt – so there is no cambelt replacement to worry about.
The 39,000 miles from new shown on the clock is warranted, and this is further supported by the service history and MoT printout. The current MoT is valid through to mid January 2027. The car has been fully valeted, and comes with an Experian Data Check report (like HPI) which shows no problems and evidences that the car has never been seriously damaged or written off, has no outstanding finance, is not stolen and is a UK supplied vehicle.
Like all our cars, it also comes with a 100-point mechanical and functional test report.
The Motoring Press view
This example dates from early 2018, just ahead of the mid-life facelift that occurred in the middle of that year. Praising the comfort, reliability and spacious interior, Parker’s Car Guide awards this generation of i20 an excellent 4 star (out of 5) rating – better than the model that superseded it – and comments:-
“Just like Aldi or Lidl, Hyundai has found itself moving from a left-field value-led offering to a genuine mainstream option, with quality products in recent years. Nowhere is this more evident than with its small cars – like the new Hyundai i20 hatchback here.
All cars get decent levels of kit, such as a 7.0-inch touchscreen, but SE and up get crucial safety kit that could lower your running costs. This is no Ford Fiesta rival when it comes to on-road behaviour; it lacks the taut responses and upper-level of feedback offered by the Ford. But that’s not what buyers in this segment most often desire, and the i20 is a comfortable, relaxing car to drive. It’s damning it slightly with faint praise but this car feels entirely unremarkable on the move, thanks to light controls and soft supple suspension, but that’s actually the mainstay of its appeal.
The cabin feels like it’s constructed from quality materials while rivals should rightfully be worried about the amount of space on offer across the rear bench and in the boot behind. Thanks to being longer and wider than before, the Hyundai i20’s practicality is better than the model it replaces. Those in the rear will notice generous space too, with excellent legroom and masses of headroom – even for fully grown adults. It’s incredibly logical, if not particularly imaginatively, laid-out with sizable switchgear that operates with a reassuring feeling of solidity. Certainly there’s no questioning the quality of the materials used in that respect, and the dashboard and general front-cabin environment feels far more grown up than before too. The first element to strike you is just how quiet the Hyundai i20 is, with very little road roar, wind noise or engine clatter making its way into the cabin. There’s no harshness to the suspension at all, gliding over most lumps and bumps. Wherever you sit in the new i20 you’re treated to a comfortable chair, and up front there’s plenty of adjustment too. Quality has been improved here too, from the materials used surrounding the dashboard switchgear to the fabric on the seats and it certainly looks smart rather than smart-price in there.
The i20 isn’t a large car and its handling means it’s among the easier cars of this type to park. Boot space has been increased over the old car, by 10%, from 295 litres to 326 litres in the latest i20 with all seats in place. Clever design and packaging means the rear bench can be folded completely flat, extending this area to a sizeable 1,042 litres.
The Hyundai i20 scored four stars back in 2015 when it was crash tested by Euro NCAP. A lane departure warning system, which audibly notifies you if you stray past your designated lane markings on the road, rear parking sensors, front fog lights and cruise control with a speed limited function are fitted from SE models upwards.
With 83bhp the 1.2-litre petrol engine is not fast, taking 13.1 seconds to get from 0-62mph. However it doesn’t feel wheezy and can hold its own on the motorway thanks to a useful 122NM of torque. As you would expect from a small petrol unit, there is little engine noise to report, although it does get louder as you push on. On a motorway cruise there’s little wind noise, but you only really notice since the rest of the car is so quiet – the i20 is a relaxing car to tackle a long trip in Conceived from the outset as a car that should be cheap to run and maintain, the Hyundai i20’s running costs are pleasingly low – so whatever model you choose it won’t cost the earth over the course of your ownership.
Should I buy a Hyundai i20?
The Hyundai i20 is designed to be a volume seller and, in all fairness, thanks to its strong reputation for reliability and customer service, it should do well. It’s a practical, comfortable, easy-to-live-with proposition that takes its fight directly to mainstream choices, while still offering incredible value makes is a strong contender for your cash
Equipment and Features
> Finished in Polar White paintwork, with two-tone grey fabric interior trim
> 1248cc 4-cylinder 16-valve fuel-injection petrol engine, producing 83bhp and 122 Nm torque
> 5-speed manual transmission, driving through the front wheels
> Electric Power Assisted Steering (PAS)
> Air conditioning with chilled glovebox
> 10-spoke (5xtwin) 15” alloy wheels
> Hyundai multimedia audio system, RDS Radio with CD player, AUX and SD-card input, Bluetooth phone and music functionality, steering wheel mounted controls and roof mounted bee-sting aerial
> Cruise Control with speed limiter function
> Electric front and rear windows, with one-touch operation to driver’s window
> Electrically adjusted door mirrors
> Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
> Traction control system
> Tyre pressure monitoring system
> Lane Departure Warning System
> Rear parking sensors
> Daytime running lights
> Central locking, with two full remote keys
> Tinted windows
> Map-pocket to rear of front passenger seat
> Height adjustable driver’s seat
> 60/40 split rear seat
> Three rear seats, each fitted with 3-point seat belts and head restraints; ISOFIX mounting points to outer two seats
> Height adjustable steering wheel
> Driver’s, Front Passenger’s, side and curtain airbags
> Front and rear fog lamps
> Electrically heated rear window
> Multifunction Trip Computer with current mpg, average mpg, distance to empty, speed since reset, time since reset and speed warning functions
> Rear parcel shelf
> Carpet overmats front and rear
> Electronic engine immobiliser
> 12v charger point
> Sunglasses holder
History and Documentation
> The current mileage is showing as 39,206 miles which is warranted as correct.
> The i20 comes with its V5 registration document. It was first registered 31st March 2018, and transferred to its second owner in mid-May of the same year – I suspect it was either a pre-registered car or maybe a demonstrator. The second owner then kept it four years – until March 2022 – by which time it had 20,000 miles recorded. The third owner then kept it until January 2023, but added a further 8,500 miles in that nine months. Soren then bought it from Arnold Clark, and has kept it until now.
> The current MoT expires on the 17th January 2027. An MoT history check shows previous MoTs completed at:-
22/03/2021; 16,376 miles, no advisories
14/03/2022; 20,126 miles, advisories for rear brake disc wear and front tyre wear
18/01/2023; 28,466 miles, no advisories
10/01/2024; 33,126 miles, no advisories
13/01/2025; 35,931 miles, no advisories
10/01/2026; 39,160 miles, no advisories
> The car has been Experian Data Checked (similar to HPI), and the buyer will receive a copy of the report – which shows no problems whilst noting that the car was on a personalised registration number between February 2019 and February 2022
> The car has a thorough service history, with stamps in the service book showing :-
16,376 miles; 22/03/2021
20,126 miles; 15/03/2022
28,463 miles; 18/01/2023
33,156 miles; 11/01/2024
35,932 miles; 13/01/2025
39,151 miles; 07/01/2026 – My mechanics
> The owners manual and book pack are present
Bodywork and Interior condition
> As you can see from the photos, the bodywork is in excellent condition. It presents very smartly throughout, and there’s no obvious signs of its age or mileage. Inevitably at this age and mileage there are a few light surface scratches and a couple of touched-in stone chips, and there’s some very minor scuffing to the bottom of the front bumper, but that’s really all there is – there aren’t even any trolley dents to be found.
> The interior is also spotless throughout, with no damage to the fabric seats or carpets. It is fitted with carpet overmats throughout.
Mechanical condition and wheels/tyres
> The car has covered just over 39,000 miles. It goes extremely well – and runs, steers, stops and goes round corners just as you would expect!
> All the interior warning lights come on and go off as they should
> The 15” alloy road wheels have been reconditioned to repair some surface corrosion, and therefore are now in excellent condition with no marks or scuffing
> The road tyres have been replaced very recently and are a matched set of good quality midrange Kumho Ecowing tyres in 185/65 x 15 size. All the road tyres have 7mm of tread across the tyre face. The spare wheel is a space saver wheel, fitted with an unused Maxxis 125/80 x15 tyre
> The tools, jack, locking wheel nut key and wheelbrace are all present
Summary
All in all – this is a highly desirable example of this well-respected small family hatchback, which combines sharp, modern styling, with loads of interior space and comfort, good equipment levels and excellent fuel economy. For a small car, the equipment level is extensive – almost from the class above – with premium features like cruise control, lane departure warning system, Bluetooth stereo and phone connection, electric windows all round, front and rear foglights, and alloy wheels. This example is in excellent condition throughout, with a very low mileage (averaging just 5000 miles per year), very well maintained, fully valeted, just serviced, recent tyres all round, and with a new MoT. I’m not expecting this to be here for long!
If you have any questions, please mail me or call me on 07917-234897. Any inspection or accompanied test drive is welcomed by appointment.
A note about Warranties
We go to exceptional lengths to assure the mechanical condition of any car that we sell. Cars are generally much more reliable than was the case in the past – but they are ever increasing in complexity and should the unthinkable happen, repair costs can be high.
Many buyers prefer us to keep the price of our cars low, so we do not include a mechanical breakdown warranty as standard. However, we are agents for aftermarket warranty provider Warranty Assist.
If you wish to do so, you can optionally purchase a comprehensive Warranty Assist Warranty for this Hyundai i20 covering 100% of the parts and labour cost on all major components, and labour rates up to £60ph and with a £50 excess, at a cost of £239 for 6-months or £299 for 12-months, or £549 for 24-months. This will cover repair costs up to the value of the vehicle. Lower or higher levels of warranty cover are available for different premiums if preferred.
Please click on “our services” tab for more details.
