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By The Autoza Team. Updated .

Hyundai i10 vs Kia Picanto: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Hyundai i10 does better at its MOT: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 2.7 percentage points ahead of the Kia Picanto on first-time MOT passes. That comparison covers 45,667 real tests across every generation on the road, not a survey. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict; the common faults below cover the rest.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Hyundai i10
Pass rate78.2%
Age-matched national76.5%
Difference+1.7
Tests25,953
Kia Picanto
Pass rate76.2%
Age-matched national77.3%
Difference-1.0
Tests19,714

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Hyundai i10s registered 2008–2022 and Kia Picantos registered 2005–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Hyundai i10

second generation 2014–2020 and third generation 2020–on · city car

The Hyundai i10 has one DVSA recall of 10,000 or more vehicles, a fuel pump recall on cars built November 2021 to April 2023 (R/2026/093, 13,610), and DVSA files no recall under the i10 name for any car built before September 2020. What Car? ranks the 2020-on i10 first of 26 small cars with 100%, and the 2014–2020 car fourth of 19 at 98.6%. Hyundai UK gives a new i10 a five-year unlimited-mileage warranty. i10s registered 2014–2022 pass the MOT 2.1 points above all cars registered those years.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2026/093recall
    The vehicle fuel pump may have an internal malfunction which may fail over time.
    13,610 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 1 November 2021 and 25 April 2023
    Large recall — 13,610 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2024/490recall
    The vehicle exhaust gas recirculation valve may have an internal short circuit which in some cases may result in the vehicle engine stalling.
    547 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 27 March 2024 and 20 May 2024
    Smaller recall — 547 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Rear brake pads sticking and slipping clutches (second generation)minor
    What Car? says reported problems are rare on the 2014–2020 i10, though there have been issues with the rear brake pads sticking to the discs, and one or two owners have reported that clutches can slip. Its page is dated 4 January 2024.
    Second generation 2014–2020
    Check: On the test drive check the clutch thoroughly, especially when buying privately, and check the car pulls up straight with no dragging from the rear brakes.
  • Air conditioning — an expensive re-gas (second generation)minor
    What Car? says that if the air conditioning does not work and needs a re-gas it could cost more than you would expect, because Hyundai uses a more environmentally friendly refrigerant gas in its cars, which is pricier and not widely available. Its page is dated 4 January 2024.
    Second generation 2014–2020
    Check: Make sure the air conditioning blows cold on the test drive.
Typical asking price:
£3,750–£12,295, median £5,280 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 11 November 2026)
Fuel economy:
No sourced real-world figure for the i10, so none is printed: the official lab figure depends on the engine and on the test cycle the car was approved under, so use the figure for the exact version you are looking at.
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2015, 2016, 2017
Used Hyundai i10s for saleFull i10 fault guideUsed Hyundais

Kia Picanto

second generation 2011–2017 and third generation 2017–on · city car

The Kia Picanto has one DVSA recall of 10,000 or more vehicles, a missing audible rear-fog-lamp warning on cars built April 2020 to February 2022 (R/2022/122, 15,295), and a 2020–2023 under-bonnet fuel line recall (R/2026/251). What Car? ranks the 2017-on Picanto second of 20 small cars at 99.3%, says it has heard of no common problems, and names only the gearbox or clutch (6% of cars) as an area of faults. Kia UK gives a new Picanto 7 years or 100,000 miles. Picantos registered 2013–2022 pass the MOT level with all cars registered those years.

What goes wrong

  • Safety recall R/2022/122recall
    Some vehicles do not have an audible warning when the rear fog lamp is left switched on
    15,295 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 1 April 2020 and 28 February 2022
    Large recall — 15,295 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Safety recall R/2018/246recall
    Fuel filler neck rubber hoses may crack over time
    8,998 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 1 February 2011 and 30 June 2012
    Smaller recall — 8,998 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
  • Gearbox, clutch, air conditioning and door rattles (third generation)minor
    What Car? says that in its survey a mere 6% of Picantos aged up to five years had any issue and the only area to give any grief was the gearbox or clutch, all fixed free in a day or less; some readers reported minor issues with the air-conditioning system and rattles from the doors on early models, which were rare.
    Third generation 2017-on
    Check: Check the clutch bites cleanly and the gearbox changes smoothly, run the air conditioning, and listen for door rattles on the test drive.
  • Clutch judder — reported on the mechanically identical Hyundai i10 (second generation)minor
    What Car? says the second-generation Picanto’s engines are well proven, with no recurring reliability concerns, and chain-driven so there are no worries over timing belts; but some owners of the mechanically identical Hyundai i10 have had clutch judder. Its page is dated 18 May 2017.
    Second generation 2011–2017
    Check: On the test drive check the clutch bite point is not right at the top of the pedal’s travel and that second gear in particular engages easily.
Typical asking price:
£2,500–£13,495, median £7,495 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 11 November 2026)
Fuel economy:
No sourced real-world figure for the Picanto, so none is printed: the official lab figure depends on the engine and on the test cycle the car was approved under, so use the figure for the exact version you are looking at.
Vehicle tax:
£200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:
2018, 2019
Used Kia Picantos for saleFull Picanto fault guideUsed Kias

Which one suits you

Hyundai i10

Good for: City drivers who want a small car that ranked first of 26 in What Car?’s latest survey and, on a recent one, remaining manufacturer warranty to check.

Less good for: Anyone assuming the five-year warranty is still running without checking the registration date and the service history, or buying a 2021–2023 car without the fuel pump recall record.

Kia Picanto

Good for: City drivers who want a small car that ranked second of 20 in What Car?’s survey and, on a recent one, remaining manufacturer warranty to check.

Less good for: Anyone assuming the seven-year warranty is still running on an older car without working it out from the registration date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Hyundai i10 or the Kia Picanto?
On the MOT measure, the Hyundai i10: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 2.7 percentage points ahead of the Kia Picanto on first-time MOT passes, across 45,667 DVSA-recorded tests covering every generation on the road. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict.
How do the MOT pass rates of the Hyundai i10 and the Kia Picanto compare?
78.2% of Hyundai i10s pass their MOT first time (25,953 tests in DVSA's records) and 76.2% of Kia Picantos pass their MOT first time (19,714 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Hyundai i10's age average 76.5% and cars of the Kia Picanto's age 77.3% — so the Hyundai i10 runs 1.7 points better than its age group and the Kia Picanto runs 1.0 points worse than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Which years of the Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto should I avoid?
Hyundai i10: No year is named as one to avoid: DVSA’s MOT table rates no i10 registration year from 2013 to 2022 below the average for its year. The fuel pump recall R/2026/093 covers cars built from 1 November 2021 to 25 April 2023, so a 2022 or 2023 car needs a registration check. Kia Picanto: No year is named as one to avoid: DVSA’s MOT table rates no Picanto registration year from 2013 to 2022 below the average for its year, and What Car? says it has heard of no common problems on the 2017-on car. Judge a Picanto by its registration, its service history and the checks below rather than by year.
Is the Hyundai i10 or the Kia Picanto cheaper to run?
On fuel it depends on the engine. Hyundai i10: No sourced real-world figure for the i10, so none is printed: the official lab figure depends on the engine and on the test cycle the car was approved under, so use the figure for the exact version you are looking at. Kia Picanto: No sourced real-world figure for the Picanto, so none is printed: the official lab figure depends on the engine and on the test cycle the car was approved under, so use the figure for the exact version you are looking at. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Hyundai i10 or Kia Picanto registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-16 / 2026-10-16.