MOT fail rates
Kia Niro MOT fail rate by age
How often the Kia Niro fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 237,586 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 3 years, the most tested age
149 of 343 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 3 years.
What stands out
- At 3 years the Kia Niro fails 11.0% of MOTs (84,396 tests), 1.0 points below the 12.1% for all cars that age. At 9 years it fails 16.0% (1,285 tests), 11.2 points below the 27.1% average.
- The gap is widest at 9 years: 11.2 points below all cars.
- Its most common structural or mechanical fail item at 3 years: Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative, at 0.3 per 100 MOTs.
MOT fail rate by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 11.0% | 84,396 | 12.1% | −1.0 pts | 27,434 miles |
| 4 years | 12.2% | 65,791 | 13.4% | −1.1 pts | 36,241 miles |
| 5 years | 13.4% | 42,883 | 15.3% | −1.9 pts | 43,377 miles |
| 6 years | 14.3% | 24,006 | 17.8% | −3.5 pts | 52,647 miles |
| 7 years | 14.7% | 13,373 | 20.6% | −5.9 pts | 61,037 miles |
| 8 years | 16.0% | 5,852 | 23.8% | −7.7 pts | 64,034 miles |
| 9 years | 16.0% | 1,285 | 27.1% | −11.2 pts | 66,859 miles |
Most common fail items at 3 years
Split into structural or mechanical items and wear items. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.
Structural and mechanical
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative Major | 0.3 |
Out of 84,396 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Wear and upkeep
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Wipers not clearing screen Major | 2.5 |
| Tyre with cords exposed Dangerous | 2.5 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous | 2.4 |
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Major | 2.2 |
| Headlamp aim: too low Major | 1 |
| Headlight aimed too high Major | 0.4 |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Major | 0.3 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Major | 0.3 |
| Tyre condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Dangerous | 0.3 |
Out of 84,396 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Other models at 3 years
| Model | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Sportage | 14.0% | 111,057 | 12.1% |
| Kia Picanto | 10.9% | 48,015 | 12.1% |
| Kia Ceed | 14.4% | 26,632 | 12.1% |
MOT fail rate by first-use year
Each year has its own page: the fail rate for cars first used that year at each MOT from 2022 to 2025 with at least 1,000 tests, the most common faults at that age, and the car tax and ULEZ rules for that year.
First-use year data updated .
| First used | Age at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 9 years in 2025 | 16.0% | 1,285 | 27.1% |
| 2017 | 8 years in 2025 | 16.0% | 4,542 | 23.8% |
| 2018 | 7 years in 2025 | 14.2% | 7,483 | 20.6% |
| 2019 | 6 years in 2025 | 13.6% | 10,664 | 17.8% |
| 2020 | 5 years in 2025 | 13.1% | 20,421 | 15.3% |
| 2021 | 4 years in 2025 | 11.9% | 27,792 | 13.4% |
| 2022 | 3 years in 2025 | 11.3% | 27,145 | 12.1% |
More on the Kia Niro
Looking at one Kia Niro?
These are figures for the model, not for one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at a single car: its MOT tests, defects, advisories and mileage readings.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 22 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources