Kia Rio Le MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 1,408 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 40.2%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Kia Rio Le MOT Reliability Overview
The Kia Rio Le is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,408 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 2 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 59.8% and a failure rate of 40.2%, which is slightly below the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Kia Rio Le earns a "Below Average" reliability rating. The average Kia Rio Le presents for MOT with approximately 52,941 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2005 models achieve the highest pass rate at 64.1%, while 2004 models have the lowest at 56.0%. This 8.1 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Kia Rio Le is Suspension, affecting 36.0% of all tests. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. The second most common issue is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment at 23.6%. Brakes rounds out the top three at 22.9%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Kia Rio Le. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (7 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 4 to 11 years, with warranty expiry marked at 7 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Kia Rio Le ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 10% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 11 (48.6% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 49.5% | 697 |
| 2 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 29.4% | 414 |
| 3 | Brakes | 28.3% | 398 |
| 4 | Tyres | 21.6% | 304 |
| 5 | Driver's View Of The Road | 14.2% | 200 |
| 6 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 6.0% | 84 |
| 7 | Registration Plates And Vin | 1.5% | 21 |
| 8 | Body, Structure And General Items | 1.5% | 21 |
| 9 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 1.3% | 18 |
| 10 | Steering | 1.0% | 14 |
| 11 | Non-component Advisories | 0.4% | 5 |
| 12 | Items Not Tested | 0.3% | 4 |
| 13 | Road Wheels | 0.2% | 3 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 52,941 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 9.35 | 49.5% | 697 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 5.55 | 29.4% | 414 |
| Brakes | 5.34 | 28.3% | 398 |
| Tyres | 4.08 | 21.6% | 304 |
| Visibility | 2.68 | 14.2% | 200 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 1.13 | 6.0% | 84 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.28 | 1.5% | 21 |
| Body & Structure | 0.28 | 1.5% | 21 |
| Seat Belts | 0.24 | 1.3% | 18 |
| Steering | 0.19 | 1.0% | 14 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.07 | 0.4% | 5 |
| Items Not Tested | 0.05 | 0.3% | 4 |
| Wheels | 0.04 | 0.2% | 3 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Kia Rio Le has 52,941 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Kia Rio Le has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 7.59% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Kia Rio Le MOT Data
The Kia Rio Le is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,408 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 2 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 59.8% and a failure rate of 40.2%, which is slightly below the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Kia Rio Le owners, these results suggest average reliability — some preparation before MOT can improve pass chances. Focus your pre-MOT checks on suspension and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Rio Le is likely to perform.
Suspension — 36.0% of failures
Suspension issues account for 36.0% of MOT failures on the Kia Rio Le. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.6% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 23.6% of MOT failures on the Kia Rio Le. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Brakes — 22.9% of failures
Brakes issues account for 22.9% of MOT failures on the Kia Rio Le. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kia Rio Le?
Based on 1,408 MOT tests in our database, the Kia Rio Le has an overall pass rate of 59.8% (40.2% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Kia Rio Le?
The top 3 reasons a Kia Rio Le fails its MOT are: 1. Suspension (36.0%), 2. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (23.6%), 3. Brakes (22.9%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Kia Rio Le reliable?
With a 40.2% MOT failure rate, the Rio Le is about average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Kia Rio Le?
Based on failure data, focus on: Suspension (36.0%); Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (23.6%); Brakes (22.9%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.