All models / Small SUVs / Hyundai Bayon / What to check

What to check: Hyundai Bayon

Ranked across all years of the Hyundai Bayon, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Lights and horn walkroundWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 0.5% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 0.7%

Handbrake holdStop on a hill and put the handbrake on. It should hold the car firmly within a few clicks, or straight away on the button if it is electronic. Roll-back means adjustment at best, new cables or a caliper motor at worst.Recorded on 0.5% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 0.1%

Wheel bearingsOn the test drive, listen for a drone that rises with road speed and shifts when you sway the car gently between lanes. That is a wheel bearing, and it only ever gets louder.Recorded on 0.4% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 0.0%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 12.4% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 10.3%

Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this modelScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 7.3% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 1.7%

Pads and discsLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 6.4% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 7.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

If it's a DCT automatic built between March 2023 and January 2024, check the recall (transmission control unit software) has been carried out.If not done, the software fault behind it could cause the car to slow unexpectedly on its own.

Pull away repeatedly from a stop, including after sitting in traffic for a few minutes.Hesitation or juddering from the transmission points to dry-clutch DCT wear.

Start the engine stone cold and listen for the first couple of seconds.A metallic rattle suggests timing chain tensioner wear on the 1.0 T-GDI.

Connect a phone via CarPlay or Android Auto and use it for the whole test drive.Freezing or a dropped connection is the known infotainment niggle.

Drive slowly over a speed bump or rough patch of road with the radio off.Creaks or knocks from the front end are worth a closer look, though not a given fault.

Check the service book for regular oil changes, not just stamps.Skipped or stretched oil changes make the T-GDI's chain and tensioner wear worse.

Ask whether it's manual or DCT, and if DCT, ask for its full service and recall history.A manual with no history gaps is the lower-risk used buy of the two.

Full Hyundai Bayon reliability report