Used Hyundai i20 2009-2015 review

So you want a cheap, cheerful small car. You’re not that fussed about how exciting it is to drive – but you do care that it comes with as much space and peace-of-mind as possible. Step right up, because the Hyundai i20 is the used car for you.

Rivals like the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo steal more of the limelight because they’re more entertaining to drive or more attractively appointed inside, but the little Hyundai has become a popular choice thanks to its no-nonsense attitude.

The biggest selling point when new was the five-year, unlimited-mileage manufacturer’s warranty. That also makes the i20 a desirable used purchase, of course, because a three-year-old i20 will still benefit from two years’ remaining warranty, where most other cars will have none left. Check you're happy with the warranty terms and conditions before you buy, mind you, because longer warranties like these sometimes fail to cover everything you'd expect beyond the three-year mark.

The i20’s hassle-free way of doing things is even more apparent when you get behind the wheel. It’s easy to drive in town thanks to its compact dimensions, although the steering could be lighter.

That steering becomes too light at speed, mind you, and combined with pronounced body lean, means the i20 isn’t as much fun to drive as the class best. That said, the handling is always stable and predictable, and the ride is comfortable.

You get a choice of peppy petrol or frugal diesel engines, and all are reasonably hushed. Tyre and wind noise are kept to a minimum, too, making the i20 a reasonably calm thing to drive. And inside, while the dashboard is rather bland and the plastics used aren’t up to the standard even of the Ford Fiesta, let alone the Volkswagen Polo, everything does at least feel solid and well-built.

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A high-mileage or previously damaged Hyundai i20 can now be yours for less than £1500, but if you can, it’s worth paying a little more to get hold of a more salubrious example.

An early, one-owner car with a full service history can be had for £2500 nowadays, while if you want a three-year-old example with similar provenance and a couple of years’ warranty left, you’ll need to up your budget to at least £4500.

Meanwhile, a very last-of-the-line i20 of this generation in a high specification and with miniscule miles should cost you no more than £7000.

Not too much, especially if you stick to one of the two diesel engines or the 1.2-litre petrol. The 1.4-litre petrol costs quite a bit more per year to tax than the other three engines, and it’s also less efficient. Note that the 1.2-litre, too, was in a higher tax band before July 2010, so it’s worth finding a car registered after this date to take advantage of the cheaper tax.

Granted, a late-model Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Polo or Skoda Fabia will probably be a little more efficient in the real world, but the margins are so slim that it isn’t really worth worrying about.

Keep in mind, of course, that to retain that five-year warranty, any i20 will need to have a full and up-to-date service history, and if those services haven’t been done at a Hyundai dealer, you’ll also need receipts to prove that genuine Hyundai parts were used for each service.

That also means you’ll be beholden to get your i20 serviced at a Hyundai garage, or if not, then at least using genuine Hyundai parts, if you want to keep the warranty going. Despite this, servicing costs will generally be less expensive than for rival manufacturers’ cars.

The entry-level 83bhp 1.2-litre petrol feels peppy and flexible for a small engine; it’s the one we’d choose, as the 98bhp 1.4 is gutsier but has no great advantage. Diesel buyers can choose a 89bhp 1.4, but frankly, unless you’re doing huge mileage, you’ll probably find it makes more sense to choose a petrol example instead.

A facelift in 2012 brought updated styling and the addition of a 1.1-litre diesel engine, though the rest of the range remained much the same.

Entry-level Classic cars came with air-conditioning, remote central locking and electric front windows, enough for it to be our favourite. The Comfort version, which was renamed Active when the i20 was facelifted, adds masses of kit, including alloys, electric rear windows, Bluetooth and front foglights. Style models get luxuries such as automatic lights and wipers, climate control and a reversing camera that’s integrated into the rear-view mirror.

Our favourite Hyundai i20: 1.2 Classic 5dr

Our favourite car of this type is the Ford Fiesta, which handles and rides beautifully by comparison with the Hyundai, and has a slightly higher-quality, if more poorly laid-out, interior.

If you want a car that feels more expensive than either of those options, though, there’s always the Volkswagen Polo. With its high-quality interior it feels like a much more expensive proposition. The problem is, it usually is, meaning you’ll end up with an older, less well-equipped car for your money.

You could also try the Vauxhall Corsa, which has a nice blend of interior and exterior style, driving enjoyment, peppy engines and space – so much so that it was our Car Of The Year in 2007.

But if you want the same sort of warranty as you’ll get on the Hyundai, you’re limited to two options – the Toyota Yaris, which came with a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty from 2010 onwards, or the Kia Rio, with its seven-year, 100,000-mile equivalent on 2007-on models. Trouble is, neither is quite as good to drive as the Hyundai.

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