2010 Hyundai I10 1.2L Petrol · VE59 WVM

The 2010 Hyundai i10 presents a mixed maintenance picture. The most recent MOT, conducted on 22 January 2026 at 53,536 miles, passed but flagged corrosion on both rear coil springs and a non-functioning central rear stop lamp. These are not new problems. The coil spring advisories first appeared in the January 2026 test, yet the mileage has barely moved since the previous January 2025 test at 53,139 miles, suggesting the car has been standing or used very sparingly. The trend is not clearly worsening or resolving; rather, it shows a vehicle that has been kept on the road with minimal intervention, where minor defects like smeary wipers, discoloured indicators, and oil misting have persisted across multiple annual tests without escalation into dangerous failures. The mileage pattern is unusual. Between January 2022 and January 2026, the car covered roughly 5,933 miles over four years, averaging under 1,500 miles annually. The jump from 53,139 miles in January 2025 to 53,536 miles in January 2026 represents only 397 miles in twelve months. Such low usage raises questions about long periods of inactivity, which can cause tyre perishing, brake surface corrosion, and fluid degradation. The sparse but consistent annual testing record shows no gaps, confirming the car has remained taxed and MOT'd, but the extremely low mileage accumulation suggests it has not been driven enough to naturally wear consumables or reveal deeper mechanical fatigue. A buyer should inspect the rear suspension carefully. Corroded coil springs are a structural concern, not merely cosmetic, and both rear springs were flagged simultaneously in the most recent test. Check for any signs of sag, cracking, or fracture, particularly at the spring seats. The recurring advisories on front brake discs, noted as worn, pitted, or scored in 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicate the braking system has been marginal for several years. Examine disc thickness and condition, and assess whether calipers are binding, as uneven pad wear and inner edge feathering on front tyres in 2024 and 2023 suggest possible alignment or braking issues. The persistent oil misting on the gearbox, noted in 2022, 2023, and 2025, warrants a close look at the gearbox seals and the condition of the fluid. Tyre condition should be checked thoroughly, given the repeated advisories on cracking, perishing, and edge wear across multiple test years. The central rear stop lamp failure in 2026 is a simple electrical item but should be verified as a wiring or bulb fault rather than a deeper circuit issue. Overall, this i10 appears to have been maintained just enough to pass its MOT, with several minor but persistent faults left unaddressed. A thorough in-person inspection of the underside, suspension, and braking components is essential before purchase.