Hyundai i20 experiences?

[BranStarkIsKing]

Hello

I'm a first time driver but need a decent boot space in a car. I had my heart set on a Honda Jazz due to the amazing boot but second hand I'm struggling to get one in my budget, which is £3k.

Hyundai i20 looks pretty decent and is cheaper to buy and insure. Does anyone have any experiences with one? How are they for space and running costs? I have 2 children and a tall husband!

Thank you

Not quite what you want but I have an i10. Didn’t plan on it but it was within budget at the dealer. It’s a 12 reg so getting on a bit.

I am very impressed so far. Reasonable running costs, very little trouble mechanically, just the usual wear and tear. Size wise dh and the two teens haven’t complained. Boot is small but vertical so I can get 3 carry on size cases in stood up, or everyone’s rucksacks.

I find it more than manageable for everyday use, but I don’t use it for going away, pushchairs etc. The i20 should be fine unless you’re a camper or something where you need to take lots of equipment.

You don't get much boot space tbh, but it's ok for tip runs etc if you put the back seats down. Great runner though.

Great car and lovely to drive. Just be aware that if you get one over 5 years old it will be out of warranty and the replacement parts for them can expensive. Was advised against buying one for this reason!

Ah right, yes, I wouldn't be able to afford one that's very new.

We are campers which is why I had my heart set on a Honda Jazz! But just can't afford it unfortunately.

We have a 2013 model and it's a decent car. It's got a reversing camera in the rear view mirror which is so useful. Space in the boot is decent - can fit our bulky pram plus a couple of shopping bags.
We have a bulky car seat for our toddler which means her legs stick out quite far, so there's not much room for whoever is sitting in front. Not sure it it would be much better in other cars though.
Friends and family who have seen it or sat as passengers have commented how nice the car is too.

Are there any other options I should be looking at that have decent boot space? We need it for pushchairs and also things like camping.

Also - another question! - above what mileage should I really exclude? I know people say 100000 but is that a given?

Kias have long warranties and are fairly cheap to buy. Might be worth looking at some of those too, as you could buy one that's 5 years old and still have 2 years warranty left on it.

I really liked the Hyundai i20 when I test drove it. Not sure on the boot size for camping though (but we take a huge amount of stuff camping and have an Alhambra!)

The Kias in my budget seem to be fairly tiny.

Nissan Note might also be a go-er?

Also, the car supermarkets can be cheaper than a dealership, but it's a bit difficult to be sure what they've checked on the car.

We test drove lots of cars locally, decided on the make and model we liked, then looked nationwide for a secondhand one. We were lucky in that we had a car we could drive to visit dealerships further afield.

Yes, the Nissan Note has a reasonable boot. We choose a Citroen C3 Picasso as it was larger again, but the Note was our second choice. Definitely worth a look.

Also - another question! - above what mileage should I really exclude? I know people say 100000 but is that a given?

I wouldn't exclude based only on mileage. Around 3k budget (I tend to buy my own cars in this sphere; somewhere between £1,500 -- £5,000 depending on circs at the time) it's more about prioritising condition and history.

So I'd look for a car that has good MOT history (if you've got the registration you can check here) and ideally service history (i.e. it's been serviced according to the manufacturer's schedule). Make sure it's got four good quality tyres and check that any necessary recalls and known faults have been attended to. Also if there's any mileage-based maintenance i.e. a timing belt change at 60,000 for example make sure that's been done too.

With a small car I wouldn't necessarily target a high-miler (like I would if I was buying a big Lexus for example) but I wouldn't preclude solely on it either. That said, I don't think you'll see that many small cars like this with over 100,000 on them.

In terms of models, the i20 is fine. Hyundai also made the ix20 which is similar, but a little taller and probably closer to a Jazz in terms of practicality. The Kia Venga is the same car with a different badge and styling, also worth a look. (Kia and Hyundai are the same company.) You might also look at the Nissan Note; a relative has had two and he's well over six foot.

Thank you, that is very helpful! It all feels like a bit of a new world...

I think the i20 is on the whole good value for money. It's nice enough to drive, steering feels nice with a tight turning circle. The boot is a good size for a hatchback (think it's slightly bigger than most models of Fiesta). It doesn't feel too cramped in the back as it doesn't have the raised up bit in the centre of the middle seat. Acceleration is a bit sluggish for town driving but it shouldn't be an issue for a new driver. Isn't too fuel hungry either and cheap to insure!

I have an 11 reg i20, it's a lovely little car, I've not had any problems at all with it (had it since new and fully expect to get a good few years out of it yet).

I can't answer about the i20 but I would caution you to check the reputation of the dealership. Ds has a Hyundai, bought as a nearly new car a couple of years ago and has always had it maintained at the local dealership. Every time, and I do mean, every single time, it has ever needed parts, there's always a three to four week wait to get them imported. The cost is high. The last straw was a recent issue which they said needed new spark plugs and leads for which they quoted the usual 3 - 4 week wait for parts and a cost of almost £400! Ds took the car to the place where we have been having our cars serviced etc for over 20 years. Car dropped off at 10 am, called at 11:30 to say it was indeed spark plugs and leads, job done and ready to collect. Cost? £80.00. Add to that, their opinion that the spark plugs on the car were at least two years old so clearly hadn't been replaced as part of the Hyundai service which was done 8 weeks ago!

A complaint to Hyundai has not yet elicited any sort of response. Needless to say, ds will no longer be using Hyundai and when he buys his next, new car, Hyundai is not one that he would consider which is a shame because the car itself is decent enough.

I have an i20, have had it 4.5 years. Its been really good so far.

I've had one when my DC were small. I really liked it. Good runner, no real issues, never failed an MOT. Small enough to easily park.

Re boot space - I could get a travel system in there and squeeze my changing bag in there too. Not much room for anything else though! Once I didn't need the travel system, I could easily fit a big shop in the boot.

Insurance and tax was cheap and I got about 350-400 miles from a full tank of petrol.

I'd recommend.

Thank you! It does sound like a good choice - although my equally tiny friend says she couldn't reach the clutch properly so that may be something! I am pretty short.

I am finding some older Honda Jazz's within my budget but are they too old? www.usedcarsni.com/2007-Honda-Jazz-SE-2-OWNERS-ZERO-DEPOSIT-LOW-RATE-FINANCE-FROM-14-P-W-REFUSED-FINANCE-WE-MAY-BE-ABLE-TO-HELP-CALL-DARRELL-ON-07824829416-222984035?keywords=&make=8&model=5522&fuel_type=0&trans_type=0&age_from=0&age_to=0&price_from=0&price_to=4000&user_type=0&mileage_to=0&body_style=0&doors=999999&tax_cost=999999&keywords=&distance_enabled=0&distance_miles=50&distance_postcode=&distance_miles=50&homepage_search_attr=1&tab_id=0&search_type=1

Kia Rio is the equivalent car. I bought one to replace an i20. Quite roomy, 7 year warranty, reasonable economy. 14 plate 3 door =£5800 in 2016.

I have an i30 and I absolutely love it. Its still a hatchback but has bit more space, I think for a family the i20 might be bit small but then that's for you to decide. As far as the car goes- you get quote a lot of metal for your money and Hyundai are rated as one of the best for safety. I priced up a lot of cars for my budget and I got the most extras with the Hyundai- heated leather seats, sat-nav, push button start ect. None of which are essential but make my car bit more special. Ivd not had any issues with the car so far

Thank you! The i30's in my (tiny) budget seem to have quite high insurance unfortunately. Cos i'm a new driver the insurance costs will be mad so I need to go for very low insurance groups.

Kia Venga looks like another winner, thanks for flagging that!