2009 Hyundai I10 1.2L Petrol · MT09 WHB

This 2009 Hyundai i10 passed its most recent MOT on 17 June 2025 at 110,630 miles, but the maintenance trend is clearly worsening. The vehicle failed the very same day before passing on a retest, the first dual-attempt pattern in the recorded history. That failure flagged an inoperative nearside parking brake and a dead front position lamp, both rectified before the pass, yet the underlying condition of the car is deteriorating. Corrosion advisories have multiplied and now cover the front sub-frame, both rear inner sill structures, and all four coil springs. While testers have repeatedly noted that structural rigidity is not yet significantly reduced, the sheer volume of corrosion advisories across the most recent two tests indicates active, progressing decay rather than stable surface rust. The rear coil springs have appeared as corroded in every single test since 2023, suggesting the issue has been monitored but never resolved. The annual mileage of roughly 6,500 miles is typical for a city car of this age and does not raise concern about excessive mechanical wear. However, the record does show a notable gap between June 2023 at 101,383 miles and June 2024 at 106,072 miles, a span of twelve months yielding only 4,689 miles, followed by a jump to 110,630 miles by June 2025, covering 4,558 miles in the next year. The mileage accumulation is consistent enough to rule out long-term storage, but the low annual totals mean corrosion from moisture and road salt is likely a bigger threat than high-mileage mechanical fatigue. The MOT history is clean in terms of gaps, with consecutive annual tests recorded, so there is no evidence of extended periods off the road. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on three areas. First, the structural corrosion needs close examination beneath the car, particularly the front sub-frame mounting points and both rear sills where rigidity warnings have appeared repeatedly. Second, the suspension requires attention: both rear coil springs are actively corroded, the nearside front anti-roll bar linkage and track rod end were flagged as excessively worn in 2024, and the track rod end showed slight play again in 2023, pointing to ongoing front-end wear. Third, the braking system has a pattern of concern, from the corroded nearside rear brake pipe that caused the 2024 failure to the parking brake inefficiency and inoperative parking brake that caused the 2025 failure. The rear brake circuit and handbrake linkage should be inspected for corrosion and proper operation. Tyre condition has been flagged in multiple years, most recently the nearside rear in 2025, which suggests the car may have spent time standing or that the owner has not been proactive about replacing ageing rubber.