2009 Hyundai I30 1.4L Petrol · YR09 FBY

The 2009 Hyundai i30 passed its most recent MOT on 20 November 2025 at 152,557 miles, but the record reveals a worsening corrosion trend rather than a stable or improving maintenance pattern. The tester flagged rear coil springs as corroded on both sides at that latest test, a defect that has appeared repeatedly since at least November 2021. Combined with persistent advisories for corroded sub-frames, suspension arms, anti-roll bar linkages, and exhaust mounts, the vehicle presents a picture of long-term underbody deterioration that has been managed on a pass-fail basis rather than resolved through preventative repair. The car remains roadworthy today, 279 days after its last test, but the structural advisories are accumulating in both frequency and scope. The mileage progression is broadly consistent with typical use for a 17-year-old vehicle, averaging roughly 8,974 miles per year. The annual tests from November 2021 through November 2025 show steady accumulation of between 2,500 and 7,500 miles per interval, with the largest jump occurring between November 2024 and November 2025 at 7,531 miles. There are no suspicious gaps or sudden drops in recorded mileage that would suggest odometer tampering or prolonged periods off the road. The annual test cadence itself is regular and unbroken across the four-year window, which at least confirms the vehicle has been kept in active use and presented for inspection each year. A buyer should prioritise a thorough underbody inspection before committing to purchase. The recurring corrosion advisories affecting rear coil springs, front and rear sub-frames, suspension arms, and anti-roll bar linkages point to a vehicle that has spent significant time exposed to road salt without adequate underbody protection. While none of these items have yet been assessed as seriously weakened, the progression from isolated corrosion notes in 2021 to multi-point structural advisories by 2025 suggests the deterioration is advancing. The front exhaust flexi joint has also leaked minor exhaust gases in three consecutive tests from 2023 to 2025, indicating a slow failure that has not been addressed. Brake disc wear was noted on both front inner discs in 2021, and the rear coil spring corrosion flagged in 2025 warrants close scrutiny given the safety implications of a spring failure at speed. Tyre wear advisories on both front and rear axles appeared in 2022, 2023, and 2024, suggesting the previous owner did not rotate or replace tyres proactively and instead ran them to the legal limit before the MOT. The deteriorated fuel hoses and corroded rear fuel pipe flagged in 2022 and 2024 are worth verifying have been replaced, as fuel system corrosion on a vehicle of this age and mileage poses a genuine fire and leak risk. A compression test and inspection of the exhaust system from manifold to tailpipe would be prudent, given the persistent minor leak and corroded rear mounting points. Overall, this i30 has been kept running but not cosmetically or structurally maintained, and any purchase should be priced accordingly to reflect the likely investment needed in suspension, exhaust, and underbody restoration.