Used Hyundai i30 Tourer 2012-2017 reliability

Some owners have complained about interior squeaks and rattles, so on your test drive, find a stretch of rough road to try and identify any. Also, there are some cheap plastics used in the interior that might be showing signs of wear and tear, so have a good look for any damage.

Check the alloys for any kerb damage, because higher-spec cars come with bigger 18in rims that are more susceptible to being damaged.

The 1.6-litre diesel engine is fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). To ensure that this can regenerate (burn off trapped soot), frequent motorway journeys are necessary because this process is only triggered when the exhaust is hot enough. Check how the previous owner has used the car if you are unsure because lots of urban journeys will clog up the filter, potentially leading to an expensive repair bill.

Other potential problems with the DPF come if it has been shut off part way through regeneration. The result is contamination of the oil system with fuel, which leads to the oil level rising gradually over time. This can cause damage to the engine, so it’s worth checking the oil level or have the car inspected if you're unsure.

In one word, yes. The i30 Tourer, along with its hatchback sibling, came 3rd out of 28 family cars in our most recent reliability survey – a thoroughly excellent result. Hyundai as a brand came 7th out of 32 manufacturers, which is also great news.

If you would like to see the full reliability list for family cars, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.