Hyundai Getz problems, reliability and years to avoid
If you are considering buying a used Hyundai Getz, these are the common problems worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 2 known faults for this model, 1 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Is the Hyundai Getz reliable?
The Hyundai Getz has 2 known faults in our database, 1 of them rated high severity. The most serious are electrics (a faulty earth in the ABS system can make the ABS warning light come on while driving) and bodywork (the rear subframe is prone to rusting and failing the MOT because its drain holes become). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
That is a count of the faults we hold, not a reliability score. Popular cars get written about more, and a newer generation has had less time to show its faults.
Which Hyundai Getz years should you avoid?
No year is a write-off on its own. What matters is which serious faults a given year and engine can have, and whether the car in front of you has had them fixed.
Years and engines with a serious known fault
2002 to 2003, Cars with ABS (built 1 March 2002 to 1 March 2003): a faulty earth in the ABS system can make the ABS warning light come on while
Each one is set out in full below, with the symptoms, the typical mileage and a rough repair cost.
Generation 1 of 12 known faults · 2 owner reports · 4 good notes
Hyundai Getz Mk1 (2002 to 2008) problems
Bodywork/ChassisMedium severity📝 Editorial
The rear subframe is prone to rusting and failing the MOT because its drain holes become blocked. Hyundai issued a technical service bulletin to clear the drain holes, yet in 2013 a 2004 Getz still failed its MOT on a rusted rear subframe and Hyundai paid £263 towards the replacement. Anyone owning or buying a Getz should check the rear subframe for rust.
Rough guide
£400-900
Typical symptoms
MOT advisory or failure for rear subframe corrosion
flaking or holed metal on the rear subframe
knocks from the rear over bumps
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
ElectricalHigh severity🏛️ Official recall
A faulty earth in the ABS system can make the ABS warning light come on while driving, and if it is ignored the car may catch fire. DVSA recall R/2004/061 covers 18,556 Getz built between 1 March 2002 and 1 March 2003, and the remedy replaces the earth wire and greases the contacts in the ABS module.
Rough guide
£0 (free safety recall)
Typical symptoms
ABS warning light coming on while driving
ABS light flickering
burning smell from the front of the car
Affected vehicles
Engines:
Cars with ABS (built 1 March 2002 to 1 March 2003)
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
What owners report on the Mk1
2 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Brakes · November 2013The car experienced noisy rear brakes and its windscreen wipers failed to clear the screen effectively.
Bodywork · October 2013A 2004 Getz failed its MoT due to a rusted rear subframe; Hyundai contributed £263 towards the replacement cost.
What owners like about the Mk1
4 notes
This model offers an enjoyable driving experience, characterised by responsive and precise steering.
The 1.1-litre engine provides good fuel economy, achieving around 49 miles per gallon.
The car features a comfortable, soft suspension setup and a spacious cabin, appealing to many drivers.
This model achieved a commendable 4-star safety rating in NCAP crash tests.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 6 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Hyundai Getz advert and we check it in seconds.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: October 2026
Hyundai Getz buying questions
Which Hyundai Getz years should I avoid?
No Hyundai Getz year is a write-off, but the Mk1 (2002 to 2008) carries the most serious faults: electrics. Year matters less than whether the specific car has had the known fixes, so check the history for them.
What should I check when viewing a used Hyundai Getz?
Ask the seller about the electrics and bodywork faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for ABS warning light coming on while driving and MOT advisory or failure for rear subframe corrosion. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against its known faults before you travel. Check a Hyundai Getz advert →
What is the real MPG of a Hyundai Getz?
Owners report 43.0 mpg on average across the Hyundai Getz engines with data, about 84% of the official combined figure. The gap between official and real-world economy varies a lot by engine, so the Real MPG page lists every engine and generation separately, from 129 owner submissions. Hyundai Getz Real MPG by engine →
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Hyundai Getz owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.
Knowing what a Hyundai Getz goes wrong with is half of it. The rest is reading the advert and checking the car's history before you hand any money over.