Repair costs
Kia repair costs by model and MOT fail item
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 3,624,869 MOT tests · Updated
9 of 13 Kia models need at least one repair clearly more or less often than class 4 vehicles the same age, from 3,624,869 MOT tests [1].
Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.
Prices are national; what differs by model is how often MOTs call for a repair.
Repairs Kia models need more or less often
| Repair | Models more often | Models less often |
|---|---|---|
| Handbrake repair cost | 6 | 0 |
| Track rod end replacement cost | 6 | 0 |
| Brake pipe replacement cost | 4 | 0 |
| Airbag warning light repair cost | 2 | 0 |
| Binding brake repair cost | 2 | 0 |
| Brake pad replacement cost | 2 | 0 |
| Wiper blade replacement cost | 2 | 0 |
| Brake efficiency repair cost | 1 | 0 |
| Corrosion welding repair cost | 1 | 0 |
| Headlight bulb replacement cost | 1 | 0 |
| Shock absorber replacement cost | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension ball joint replacement cost | 1 | 0 |
| Tyre pressure sensor replacement cost | 1 | 0 |
Kia models one by one
Kia Sportage
Kia Sportage common problems 1,070,582 MOT tests
- Kia Sportage handbrake repair: fails 2.8–2.9× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Sportage track rod end replacement: fails 1.6–1.7× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Sportage brake pad replacement: fails 1.5–1.6× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Sportage tyre pressure sensor replacement: fails 1.5–1.6× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Kia Picanto
Kia Picanto common problems 730,252 MOT tests
- Kia Picanto handbrake repair: fails 3.8–3.9× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Picanto brake pipe replacement: fails 3.0–3.1× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Picanto binding brake repair: fails 1.6× (1.57–1.64×) as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Picanto wiper blade replacement: fails 1.6× (1.56–1.60×) as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Kia Ceed
Kia Ceed common problems 487,429 MOT tests
- Kia Ceed track rod end replacement: fails 2.5–2.6× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Ceed handbrake repair: fails 2.3–2.4× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Ceed binding brake repair: fails 1.9–2.0× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Kia Rio
Kia Rio common problems 395,218 MOT tests
- Kia Rio track rod end replacement: fails 2.3–2.4× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Rio airbag warning light repair: fails 2.1–2.2× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Rio suspension ball joint replacement: fails 2.1× (2.08–2.15×) as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Rio wiper blade replacement: fails 1.5–1.6× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Rio brake pipe replacement: fails 1.5–1.6× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Kia Niro
Kia Niro common problems 237,586 MOT tests
- Kia Niro brake efficiency repair: fails 3.1–3.7× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Niro handbrake repair: fails 1.8–2.1× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Kia Venga
Kia Venga common problems 190,286 MOT tests
- Kia Venga track rod end replacement: fails 4.3–4.5× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Kia Sorento
Kia Sorento common problems 147,328 MOT tests
- Kia Sorento track rod end replacement: fails 2.1–2.2× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Sorento brake pipe replacement: fails 1.9–2.1× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Sorento handbrake repair: fails 1.7–1.8× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Sorento corrosion welding repair: fails 1.7–1.8× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Kia Soul
Kia Soul common problems 97,370 MOT tests
- Kia Soul track rod end replacement: fails 4.1–4.3× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Soul brake pipe replacement: fails 2.0–2.2× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Kia Stonic
Kia Stonic common problems 94,808 MOT tests
No repair differs clearly from class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel.
Also: Kia Stonic wiper blade replacement
Kia Carens
Kia Carens common problems 59,911 MOT tests
- Kia Carens handbrake repair: fails 2.8–3.0× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Carens airbag warning light repair: fails 2.1–2.4× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Carens brake pad replacement: fails 1.9–2.0× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Carens headlight bulb replacement: fails 1.8–1.9× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
- Kia Carens shock absorber replacement: fails 1.5–1.7× as often as class 4 vehicles the same age
Kia XCeed
Kia XCeed common problems 47,938 MOT tests
No repair differs clearly from class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel.
Kia Optima
Kia Optima common problems 45,012 MOT tests
No repair differs clearly from class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel.
Kia Sedona
Kia Sedona common problems 21,149 MOT tests
No repair differs clearly from class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel.
Which repairs is one car heading for?
The prices here are for the job, not for one car. A car's MOT history, by registration, lists the advisories its testers recorded, which are often the next repairs.
- Check a Kia's MOT history Every MOT test, fail item, advisory and mileage reading DVSA holds for that registration.
Questions people ask
Which repair do Kia models need more often than other cars?
6 Kia models fail on the items handbrake repair fixes clearly more often than class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel.
Do Kia repairs cost more?
13 repairs are listed here with national prices: the price does not change by make in this data, only how often MOTs call for the repair.
Buying Report £14.99 incl. VAT · one car · no subscription · Not a mechanical inspection.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 3,624,869 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
Rates are per 100 MOT tests of class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) at each age. Model comparisons are against all class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel, pooled over 2022 to 2025 tests: they are not matched on test year or on mileage. Advisory figures count pairs of consecutive MOT tests of the same vehicle: "next MOT" means its next test 300 to 500 days (about 10 to 16 months) later, and the no-advisory comparison is standardised to the advised vehicles' age bands. Repairs between MOTs and breakdowns are not in this data. How we compare