Kia Sportage MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 1,633,355 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 23.3%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Kia Sportage MOT Reliability Overview
The Kia Sportage is one of the most widely tested vehicles in the UK, with 1,633,355 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 28 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 76.7% and a failure rate of 23.3%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Kia Sportage earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Kia Sportage presents for MOT with approximately 54,554 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2022 models achieve the highest pass rate at 89.8%, while 1995 models have the lowest at 40.7%. This 49.1 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Kia Sportage is Brakes, affecting 23.0% of all tests. 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. The second most common issue is Tyres at 18.8%. Suspension rounds out the top three at 12.9%. 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
Based on MOT data, 2022 models have the highest pass rate at 89.7%.
Based on 2024 MOT test results only — the most recent data available. "Built" = year of manufacture. Cars need their first MOT at 3 years old, so the newest cars shown are from ~3 years ago.
Bar chart showing pass rate by manufacture year from 2005 to 2022
| Built | Pass Rate | Tests | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 89.7% | 988 | 🏆 Best |
| 2021 | 85.8% | 26,390 | 👍 Good |
| 2020 | 85.7% | 17,455 | 👍 Good |
| 2019 | 84.3% | 41,409 | ⚠️ Fair |
| 2018 | 84.1% | 41,632 | ⚠️ Fair |
| 2017 | 81.4% | 42,045 | ⚠️ Fair |
| 2016 | 78.6% | 40,853 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2015 | 73.6% | 21,274 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2014 | 72.6% | 19,625 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2013 | 64.6% | 18,522 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2012 | 64.2% | 12,896 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2011 | 61.6% | 7,974 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2010 | 57.9% | 4,636 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2008 | 54.4% | 1,773 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2007 | 51.5% | 1,358 | ❌ Avoid |
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 24 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Kia Sportage vintages degrade over time, from age 2 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Kia Sportage. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (7 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 20 years, with warranty expiry marked at 7 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Kia Sportage sees a significant jump in MOT failures after the warranty period. Failure rate increases by 69% once warranty cover ends. Budget for increased maintenance costs from year 8 onwards. Peak failure occurs at age 17 (50.9% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
* 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 | Brakes | 23.9% | 390,599 |
| 2 | Tyres | 19.1% | 312,680 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.7% | 224,325 |
| 4 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 11.4% | 186,134 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.9% | 80,138 |
| 6 | Non-component Advisories | 2.9% | 47,067 |
| 7 | Steering | 2.6% | 42,830 |
| 8 | Driver's View Of The Road | 2.0% | 33,247 |
| 9 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 1.6% | 26,735 |
| 10 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 1.4% | 22,745 |
| 11 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 1.0% | 16,540 |
| 12 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 0.9% | 14,889 |
| 13 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.5% | 8,331 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 54,554 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 4.38 | 23.9% | 390,599 |
| Tyres | 3.51 | 19.1% | 312,680 |
| Suspension | 2.52 | 13.7% | 224,325 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 2.08 | 11.4% | 186,134 |
| Visibility | 1.27 | 6.9% | 113,385 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.53 | 2.9% | 47,067 |
| Steering | 0.48 | 2.6% | 42,830 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.30 | 1.6% | 26,735 |
| Body & Structure | 0.26 | 1.4% | 22,745 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.19 | 1.0% | 16,540 |
| Seat Belts | 0.17 | 0.9% | 14,889 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.09 | 0.5% | 8,331 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Kia Sportage has 54,554 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 Sportage has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 4.27% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Kia Sportage MOT Data
The Kia Sportage is one of the most widely tested vehicles in the UK, with 1,633,355 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 28 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 76.7% and a failure rate of 23.3%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Kia Sportage owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on brakes and tyres 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 Sportage is likely to perform.
Brakes — 23.0% of failures
Brakes issues account for 23.0% of MOT failures on the Kia Sportage. 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).
Tyres — 18.8% of failures
Tyres issues account for 18.8% of MOT failures on the Kia Sportage. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Suspension — 12.9% of failures
Suspension issues account for 12.9% of MOT failures on the Kia Sportage. 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.
Compare Kia Sportage
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kia Sportage?
Based on 1,633,355 MOT tests in our database, the Kia Sportage has an overall pass rate of 76.7% (23.3% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Kia Sportage?
The top 3 reasons a Kia Sportage fails its MOT are: 1. Brakes (23.0%), 2. Tyres (18.8%), 3. Suspension (12.9%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Kia Sportage reliable?
With a 23.3% MOT failure rate, the Sportage is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Kia Sportage?
Based on failure data, focus on: Brakes (23.0%); Tyres (18.8%); Suspension (12.9%). 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.