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MOT fail rates by first-use year

2018 Kia Venga MOT fail rate and common faults

How Kia Venga cars first used in 2018 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 14,739 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated

At 7 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 7 (n=3,681)12.2%
All cars at 7 years (n=10,537,318)20.6%
Difference−8.4 pts
MOT tests of 2018 cars, 2022 to 202514,739

What stands out

  • In 2025, at 7 years old, Kia Venga cars first used in 2018 failed 12.2% of MOTs (3,681 tests), 8.4 points below the 20.6% for all cars that age.
  • From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 4 to 7 years old, the fail rate moved from 12.1% to 12.2%.
  • Kia Venga cars first used a year earlier, in 2017, failed 15.1% at the same age of 7 years (5,930 tests, in 2024).

MOT fail rate by test year

Kia Venga cars first used in 2018: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test yearAgeMOT fail rateTests (n)All carsDifference
20224 years12.1%3,70813.4%−1.2 pts
20235 years10.3%3,67615.3%−5.0 pts
20246 years11.6%3,67417.8%−6.2 pts
20257 years12.2%3,68120.6%−8.4 pts

Most common faults at 7 years

These figures cover all Kia Venga MOTs at 7 years: cars first used 2015 to 2018, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=21,573). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail itemPer 100 MOTsAll cars
Side/position light not working Wear1.90.8
Brake pads under 1.5 mm Wear1.62.0
Brake light not working Wear1.50.9
Wipers not clearing screen Wear1.51.7
Tyre with cords exposed Wear1.21.1
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear1.12.2
Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Wear1.01.0
Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Wear1.01.3
Dipped headlight not working Wear0.90.9
Headlight aimed too high Wear0.60.6

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=21,573). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

AdvisoryPer 100 MOTsAll cars
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear13.515.0
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear12.88.9
Brake pads wearing thin Wear8.99.0
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened8.88.0
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively2.82.6
Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt2.02.4
Tyre tread close to the legal limit, under the 1.0 mm rule Wear1.72.0
Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre1.52.0
Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Wear1.51.2
Windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view1.41.9

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=21,573). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 7 years

These figures cover all Kia Venga MOTs at 7 years: cars first used 2015 to 2018, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=21,573). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

FuelShare of testsMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars, same fuelMedian mileage
Petrol80.5%14.5%17,35719.6%31,959 miles
Diesel19.5%18.3%4,21422.1%46,611 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 7 years

These figures cover all Kia Venga MOTs at 7 years: cars first used 2015 to 2018, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=21,573). At 7 years, Kia Venga cars at 60,000 to 90,000 miles failed more often (26.4%, n=2,170) than those at under 30,000 miles (9.5%, n=8,456). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at testMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
Under 30,000 miles9.5%8,45612.7%
30,000 to 60,000 miles17.0%10,57719.2%
60,000 to 90,000 miles26.4%2,17024.2%

Car tax rules for a 2018 car

  • Cars first registered from 1 April 2017 pay a first-year rate set by CO2 emissions, then the standard rate each year. A petrol, diesel or hybrid car with a list price over £40,000 also pays the expensive car supplement for five years, from the second tax payment.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

  • Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
  • Diesel cars first registered from September 2015 usually meet Euro 6, the diesel standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
  • The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the Kia Venga

Other Kia models first used in 2018

ModelAge at testMOT fail rateTests (n)All cars
Kia Sportage (2018)7 years in 202517.8%33,80520.6%
Kia Picanto (2018)7 years in 202517.3%16,41320.6%
Kia Ceed (2018)7 years in 202519.6%9,22120.6%
Kia Niro (2018)7 years in 202514.2%7,48320.6%
Kia Stonic (2018)7 years in 202514.6%6,82020.6%
Kia Rio (2018)7 years in 202515.2%5,74220.6%
Kia Sorento (2018)7 years in 202517.5%2,72020.6%
Kia Optima (2018)7 years in 202517.4%2,65020.6%

More on the Kia Venga

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2018 Kia Venga cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

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 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.