2013 Hyundai IX20 1.4L Petrol · SH13 FVB

A clear mechanical concern sits at the centre of this ix20's MOT record: front suspension wear and tyre management have already caused the car to fail its test, even though the most recent attempt on 6 January 2026 was passed cleanly. The 30 December 2025 failure recorded dangerous tread depth breaches on both front tyres, a worn Macpherson strut top bearing on the offside front, and a non-functioning nearside front position lamp, which collectively show that the front end had been allowed to deteriorate to a point that affected safety-critical components before being rectified. The vehicle has now returned a pass, but a buyer should recognise that the same front-end components are likely to be the limiting factor on this car again. Earlier history reinforces this picture, with a 2022 advisory noting play in the offside front track rod end ball joint and front tyre wear close to the legal limit, and a 2024 advisory flagging corrosion in the offside front upper subframe mounting prescribed area, suggesting that front suspension and steering hardware is the chronic weak point rather than a one-off event. The recorded mileage of 63,682 over thirteen years equates to roughly 4,900 miles per year, which is low for the age of the vehicle and points to a usage profile of short, infrequent journeys rather than sustained daily driving. The annual MOT cadence is consistent and there are no multi-year gaps that would imply extended lay-up, so any corrosion or rubber deterioration observed has developed under normal exposure rather than the accelerated ageing that affects stored vehicles. Low annual mileage does, however, mean longer intervals between natural wear cycles on components such as tyres, brake discs and CV gaiters, so deterioration tends to be age-related rather than mileage-related. On this ix20, the front tyres were run to below the legal 1.6 mm limit despite low annual mileage, which is a reminder that rubber degrades regardless of miles covered and that prolonged standing can produce flat-spotting, sidewall cracking and uneven pressure wear that is not always visible until the vehicle is inspected closely. For a prospective buyer, the front suspension and steering assembly must be the focus of any physical inspection and test drive. With the offside front Macpherson strut top bearing having shown excessive free play and the track rod end ball joint having previously recorded slight play, listen for clonking or knocking from the front strut tops when driving slowly over speed bumps or uneven surfaces, and feel for vagueness or rattle through the steering column on rougher tarmac. Uneven inner-edge wear on the front tyres would point to misalignment or worn strut components, and any binding, pulling, or reluctance to self-centre after a turn should be taken seriously given the recent front-end failures. The offside front upper subframe mounting corrosion advisory from 2024 and the slightly corroded radiator support bracket mean the underside should be examined on a ramp for any progression of rust, particularly around the front subframe, engine mountings, and brake and fuel line clips, as surface corrosion on load-bearing panels can advance between tests. A physical inspection should also cover the items that have appeared in multiple advisories. The rear registration plate has been flagged as deteriorated on two consecutive tests, and the offside rear registration plate lamp was recorded as inoperative in 2024, so check both lamp clusters and the plate itself for cracking, fading and failed bulbs. The 2023 failure for a missing central rear seat belt buckle is also worth confirming has been correctly replaced with an approved unit rather than an aftermarket substitute, as seat belt assemblies must meet specific standards. With the front position lamp having failed on the nearside in late 2025, inspect both front sidelights and the headlamp cluster for condensation, cracked lenses, and correct operation, as a single failed bulb at MOT is often a symptom of neglected minor electrical items. Finally, given that child seats prevented full inspection of the rear adult belts in both 2023 and 2024, any test drive should be carried out with the rear belts unbuckled and pulled out fully to verify they retract correctly and the buckles latch firmly, as intermittent rear seat use combined with low mileage can leave belt mechanisms stiff and prone to sticking.