Kymco Downtown MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 1,216 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 20.1%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Kymco Downtown MOT Reliability Overview
The Kymco Downtown is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,216 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 79.9% and a failure rate of 20.1%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Kymco Downtown earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Kymco Downtown presents for MOT with approximately 14,287 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2016 models achieve the highest pass rate at 85.1%, while 2010 models have the lowest at 69.8%. This 15.3 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Kymco Downtown is Motorcycle brakes, affecting 18.9% 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 Motorcycle tyres at 6.4%. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors rounds out the top three at 5.7%. 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
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 | Motorcycle Brakes | 18.9% | 230 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Tyres | 6.4% | 78 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 5.7% | 69 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Steering | 3.5% | 43 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 3.1% | 38 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 2.6% | 32 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Suspension | 2.2% | 27 |
| 8 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 1.1% | 13 |
| 9 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 0.7% | 9 |
| 10 | Non-component Advisories | 0.2% | 3 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Wheels | 0.2% | 3 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Fuel And Exhaust | 0.2% | 2 |
| 13 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.2% | 2 |
| 14 | Motorcycle Reg Plates And Vin | 0.1% | 1 |
| 15 | Motorcycle Body And Structure | 0.1% | 1 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 14,287 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle brakes | 13.24 | 18.9% | 230 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 4.49 | 6.4% | 78 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 3.97 | 5.7% | 69 |
| Motorcycle steering | 2.48 | 3.5% | 43 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 2.19 | 3.1% | 38 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 1.84 | 2.6% | 32 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 1.55 | 2.2% | 27 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.75 | 1.1% | 13 |
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 0.52 | 0.7% | 9 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.17 | 0.2% | 3 |
| Motorcycle wheels | 0.17 | 0.2% | 3 |
| Motorcycle fuel and exhaust | 0.12 | 0.2% | 2 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.12 | 0.2% | 2 |
| Motorcycle reg plates and vin | 0.06 | 0.1% | 1 |
| Motorcycle body and structure | 0.06 | 0.1% | 1 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Kymco Downtown has 14,287 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 Kymco Downtown has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 14.07% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Kymco Downtown MOT Data
The Kymco Downtown is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 1,216 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 7 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 79.9% and a failure rate of 20.1%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Kymco Downtown owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle brakes and motorcycle 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 Downtown is likely to perform.
Motorcycle brakes — 18.9% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 18.9% of MOT failures on the Kymco Downtown. 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).
Motorcycle tyres — 6.4% of failures
Motorcycle tyres issues account for 6.4% of MOT failures on the Kymco Downtown. 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.
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 5.7% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 5.7% of MOT failures on the Kymco Downtown. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kymco Downtown?
Based on 1,216 MOT tests in our database, the Kymco Downtown has an overall pass rate of 79.9% (20.1% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Kymco Downtown?
The top 3 reasons a Kymco Downtown fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle brakes (18.9%), 2. Motorcycle tyres (6.4%), 3. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (5.7%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Kymco Downtown reliable?
With a 20.1% MOT failure rate, the Downtown is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Kymco Downtown?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle brakes (18.9%); Motorcycle tyres (6.4%); Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (5.7%). 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.