IsItAGoodCar
Reliability Guide

Common Problems with the
2010 Hyundai ix20

Launched in 2010 as a taller, smarter take on the supermini-MPV against the Note and C3 Picasso, the ix20 sold with 1.4 (89 bhp) and 1.6 (123 bhp) petrols and 1.4 CRDi (89 bhp) and 1.6 CRDi (115 bhp) diesels, five-speed manual or four-speed auto on the 1.6 petrol.

What changed for 2010

  • •Shared Czech-republic production line and structure with the Kia Venga
  • •European-specific styling and tuning from the Hyundai design centre in Germany
  • •Full folding/removable rear seats from launch

Common MOT watch-outs

  • !Track rod end and ball joint wear
  • !Headlight aim and lamp moisture advisories
  • !Underbody corrosion on early cars
3
Known Issues
1
Serious
1
Moderate
1
Minor

All Known Issues

Track rod end wear and EPS column rattle or heaviness

SeriousSteering

Steering is the ix20's measured weakness: Get Car Wise's MOT analysis finds track rod end ball joints wearing prematurely, with hundreds of tests recording excessive play and even serious-risk-of-detachment categories - far above the people-carrier class average. Fault File records owners reporting a rattle or knock through the electric power steering column plus heavy, inconsistent steering at parking speeds that dealers struggled to cure even with repeated rack and column replacement. It is a cheap part to fix if caught as an advisory (£100-£180 per track rod end) and an MOT failure and safety risk if not.

Est. Repair Cost: £100-£900 (track rod ends through to column or rack replacement)
Warning Signs:

Clunks and knocks from the column over small bumps, Heavy or inconsistent steering feel in car parks, Constant small corrections needed on the motorway, Inner-edge front tyre wear

What to Inspect:
  • Have an assistant rock the steering while you feel for play at each front wheel joint
  • Drive slowly over broken tarmac with windows down, listening for column knocks
  • Search the MOT history for repeated steering advisories or rack replacement notes
  • Full-lock the wheel both ways and listen for the EPS motor groaning
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated

CRDi EGR and DPF clogging with software power-loss

ModerateExhaust & Emissions

The diesel ix20 is the classic urban-mum MPV engine used outside its comfort zone: Fault File records flat spots and lost power under acceleration traced to EGR valve wear, sticking injectors and a DPF that never regenerates on short runs, sometimes letting fuel dilute the sump; Get Car Wise tracks the same blockage as the top diesel concern, with limp mode and expensive cleaning or replacement. RAC's owners' survey adds a distinct twist - at least one pull-away power loss was cured by dealer software, and others reported the stop-start system simply dying.

Est. Repair Cost: £250-£1,200 (cleaning, EGR or DPF work)
Warning Signs:

Hesitation and flat spot above 2,000 rpm, Limp mode that clears and returns without repair, Fuel smell from the exhaust after failed regenerations, Stop-start system warning or refusal to work

What to Inspect:
  • Pull away hard in second from 20 mph and watch for boost hesitation
  • Ask whether the car does any sustained high-speed running
  • Check oil level and smell for fuel dilution
  • Look up MOT history for repeat emissions and power advisories
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated

Floppy, noisy clutch pedal and early judder

MinorGearbox & Transmission

Small but recurring: RAC's owner survey records a floppy, noisy clutch pedal needing replacement on ix20s, while Fault File documents a judder pulling away on post-2016 manual cars traced by dealers to the balance weights inside the clutch plate springs, which required a full clutch assembly to cure (around £400-£700). It is not universal and it does not usually fail suddenly, but on a car this cheap, a shuddering cold-start clutch is a four-figure job that equals the car's value, so test it deliberately at every viewing.

Est. Repair Cost: £400-£700 (clutch assembly)
Warning Signs:

Clutch pedal feels floppy and rattles on its return, Judder or shudder pulling away from rest, Biting point unusually low or high, Whine from the release bearing that changes with pedal pressure

What to Inspect:
  • Engine off, push the pedal and feel for loose, rattly return action
  • Pull away on a slope from cold specifically hunting judder
  • Ask whether a clutch has already been replaced and with which parts
  • Listen for release-bearing noise during the drive, windows down
Verified by IsItAGoodCar Research TeamUpdated

Buying Tips for 2010 Hyundai ix20

  • The 1.4 CRDi is the keeper: cheap, torquey and the most common on the used market
  • Check the removable rear seats and their anchors are all present and uncracked
  • Prefer 1.4 petrol for pure town use; the 1.6 auto is only worth having if it has been serviced