Eight seats and massive space on a budget
The Hyundai i800 is a no-frills eight-seat people carrier that offers massive space at a budget price, undercutting rivals like the VW Caravelle and Mercedes V-Class by a significant margin. It appeals to large families, taxi operators, minibus services, and anyone needing to carry eight people without paying premium European prices. It traded refinement for value and practicality.
We track 5 known issues across the Hyundai I800 range, with 3 classified as significant. Knowing which variants and configurations to approach with caution can save you from expensive surprises after purchase.
Found a Hyundai I800? Enter the reg to see which of our 5 known issues apply to that exact car, plus full MOT history and mileage checks.
H-1 (2008–2021) — Engine options included the 2.5 CRDi. We track 5 known issues on this generation, with 3 classified as significant. The most significant concern is Transmission shaft bearing excessive wear (£200–£400 to address).
The driveshaft intermediate bearing or CV joint bearings show excessive wear leading to MOT failures. This affects the 2.5 CRDi variant at significantly higher rates than the national fleet average, particularly from 80,000 miles onwards. The issue appears to be worsening over time according to MOT trend data. Commercial vehicle loading and frequent stop-start use may accelerate bearing wear on this model.
Worn driveshaft bearings will eventually fail completely, potentially leaving the vehicle immobilised. CV joint failure can cause loss of drive to one wheel. Repair typically involves replacement of the complete driveshaft assembly. The vehicle remains driveable in most cases until repair but should not be driven if severe play is detected.
Listen for clunking or vibration from underneath when pulling away or changing direction. Check for play in the driveshafts by rocking the car in gear with the handbrake on. Worn CV boots are a telltale sign — look for grease splatter around the inner wheel arch.
The handbrake system shows multiple failure modes including insufficient efficiency, excessive lever travel, and one-side inoperative conditions. MOT data shows this model fails at significantly higher rates than average across all mileage bands. The cable-operated rear drum brake setup appears prone to adjustment issues and uneven operation, particularly problematic on a commercial vehicle requiring reliable parking brake performance.
Ineffective handbrake creates serious safety risks particularly for commercial vehicles that may be parked on gradients while loaded. The vehicle will fail its MOT test and should not be driven until the handbrake system is properly adjusted or repaired. Seized brake components can cause uneven tyre wear and handling problems.
Check brake disc condition for lipping or scoring. Test braking at moderate speed for pulling to one side or vibration through the steering wheel. Review MOT advisories for brake-related items.
The brake pedal shows insufficient reserve travel indicating adjustment problems or air in the hydraulic system. This model fails MOT tests at significantly higher rates than the national average for this defect. The issue typically indicates worn brake pads, faulty brake adjusters, or hydraulic system problems that prevent the brakes from returning to their correct position after use.
Excessive brake pedal travel reduces braking effectiveness and increases stopping distances. This creates serious safety risks particularly on a commercial vehicle that may be heavily loaded. The vehicle will fail MOT testing and requires immediate brake system inspection and repair before further use.
Check brake disc condition for lipping or scoring. Test braking at moderate speed for pulling to one side or vibration through the steering wheel. Review MOT advisories for brake-related items.
Door mechanisms fail to operate correctly, preventing doors from opening using the handle or closing properly. This commercial vehicle shows failure rates significantly above the national average across all mileage bands from 60,000 miles. The issue affects both sliding side doors and conventional hinged doors. Commercial use with frequent loading may accelerate wear of door mechanisms and handles.
Faulty doors may not latch securely creating a safety risk while driving. Doors that will not open may prevent emergency exit or access to cargo areas. Complete door mechanism replacement is typically required rather than repair of individual components.
Check panel gaps are even and consistent all the way around the car. Look for signs of repainting — overspray on rubber seals, mismatched paint texture or colour differences between panels. Open and close all doors, the boot and bonnet to check alignment.
Door hinges, catches, and pillars show excessive deterioration leading to MOT failures. This issue peaks at extremely high rates (32.9 times the fleet average) on high-mileage examples around 100,000-120,000 miles. The commercial vehicle duty cycle with frequent door opening and heavy loading appears to accelerate wear of door mounting components beyond normal passenger car levels.
Severely deteriorated door components can fail completely causing doors to sag, bind, or potentially detach. This creates both security and safety risks. Structural repair to door pillars is expensive and may not be economically viable on high-mileage commercial vehicles.
Check panel gaps are even and consistent all the way around the car. Look for signs of repainting — overspray on rubber seals, mismatched paint texture or colour differences between panels. Open and close all doors, the boot and bonnet to check alignment.
For the full breakdown of all 5 tracked issues with repair costs, see the Hyundai I800 common problems page.
Based on 42k real DVSA MOT tests, the Hyundai I800 fails more often than average on several items. The biggest outlier is headlight fault at 34x the fleet average, followed by body panel damage (33x).
When viewing a specific car, check its MOT history for recurring advisories in these categories. See the full Hyundai I800 MOT failure breakdown for data at every mileage point.
Routine servicing (oil and filter change every 10k miles) typically costs £80–£120 at an independent garage.
The bigger-ticket items to budget for include timing belt and tensioner (£600–£900).
See the full Hyundai I800 service schedule for every interval and cost breakdown.
The Hyundai I800 is a solid choice on the used market, though not without its quirks. The issues we track are well-understood and largely avoidable if you know what to look for. A thorough inspection and complete service history go a long way. Post-2016 models show the best MOT pass rates and reliability, with the 2019 model achieving 86% pass rate. Avoid 2008-2009 early production cars which had the highest defect rates — 2009 showed a 36% increase in defects over average. If buying older, 2012 onwards is preferable to the earliest examples.
Before committing, check the car's full MOT history, verify the service record is complete, and if possible arrange a specialist inspection. Enter any registration into our free report to see the complete picture.
Get Car Wise maintains a database of known mechanical issues for every popular car on UK roads, tracking the faults that owners, specialists and DVSA data reveal.
When you run a report on a specific Hyundai I800, we cross-reference the exact variant, engine and age against our database of 5 known issues. Combined with full MOT history analysis, mileage verification and DVLA data, you get a complete picture before viewing.
Enter the registration for MOT history, mileage verification, known faults for that exact variant, and a Get Car Wise Score.
This guide was compiled from independent expert reviews, DVSA MOT data, specialist workshops and our own database of 5 known Hyundai I800 issues. We are not affiliated with any source listed.