Kia Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems by model

Free Kia vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.

  • 78% MOT pass rate (UK 77%)
  • 7,761 Kias checked

Kia reg check

Example: AB12 CDE (Free instant lookup)

Free MOT, mileage and tax check by reg or VIN. Full car history check from £3.99.

Full Kia history check from £3.99

The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Kia car check:

  • Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
  • Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
  • Police stolen marker
  • High risk register
  • Previous keepers and last change
  • Plate and colour changes
  • Scrapped, imported or exported
  • Mileage anomaly check
Check a Kia by reg → See a sample full report Prices and bundles

£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.

Kia car check by model

MOT pass rate of each Kia model, all its versions included; the line marks the UK average (77%). Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.

  • Kia Sportage 2,078 vehicles checked 80% Top failure area: brakes Kia Sportage car check →
  • Kia Ceed 1,353 vehicles checked 76% Top failure area: lights and indicators Kia Ceed car check →
  • Kia Picanto 1,159 vehicles checked 76% Top failure area: lights and indicators Kia Picanto car check →
  • Kia RIO 885 vehicles checked 76% Top failure area: lights and indicators
  • Kia Niro 713 vehicles checked 91% Top failure area: tyres
  • Kia Sorento 320 vehicles checked 77% Top failure area: lights and indicators
  • Kia Venga 247 vehicles checked
  • Kia Soul 198 vehicles checked
  • Kia Carens 163 vehicles checked
  • Kia Xceed 159 vehicles checked
  • Kia Stonic 147 vehicles checked
  • Kia Optima 144 vehicles checked
  • Kia Proceed 69 vehicles checked
  • Kia Sedona 47 vehicles checked
  • Kia Stinger 23 vehicles checked
  • Kia EV6 23 vehicles checked

Free Kia MOT History and Mileage Data

What the MOT records of 7,761 Kia vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.

  • 78%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
  • 7,400typical miles a year
  • 2.5%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
  • 72,722MOT tests analysed
  • 2012–2019built (middle half)
  • 46%petrol; 39% diesel; 12% hybrid electric (clean); 3% electric

Kia common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories

The defects MOT testers record most often on Kia vehicles, as a share of all their MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once).

Top 19 Kia MOT failures

Reasons the car failed its MOT.

  1. Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.3%
  2. Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively2.3%
  3. Position lamp not working2.1%
  4. Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick1.9%
  5. Parking brake efficiency below requirements1.6%
  6. Stop lamp not working1.3%
  7. Track rod end ball joint has excessive play1.3%
  8. Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid1.1%
  9. Headlamp not working on dipped beam1.0%
  10. Headlamp aim too high0.9%
Show all 19
  1. Headlamp aim too low0.8%
  2. Tyre has ply or cords exposed0.8%
  3. Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn0.7%
  4. Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps0.7%
  5. Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords0.7%
  6. Coil spring fractured or broken0.7%
  7. Parking brake inoperative on one side0.6%
  8. Service brake excessively binding0.6%
  9. Registration plate lamp not working0.6%

Top 20 Kia MOT advisories

Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.

  1. Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge9.1%
  2. Brake pad wearing thin7.6%
  3. Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened5.9%
  4. Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing3.7%
  5. Tyre worn close to the legal limit3.0%
  6. Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt2.6%
  7. Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources2.4%
  8. Oil leak, but not excessive2.0%
  9. Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement1.6%
  10. Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material1.6%
Show all 20
  1. Service brake binding but not excessively1.6%
  2. Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread1.5%
  3. Nail in tyre1.5%
  4. Brake disc worn, but not excessively1.3%
  5. Coil spring corroded1.3%
  6. Track rod end ball joint has slight play1.2%
  7. Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened1.1%
  8. Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view1.1%
  9. Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play1.0%
  10. Suspension arm ball joint has slight play1.0%

Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 7,761 Kia vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp (72,722 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Before buying a used Kia

The MOT record shows condition on the day of the test. Run these checks on the Kia you're looking at too:

Kia MOT questions

Is a Kia car check free?

The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Kia are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Kia?

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm: found at 2.3% of the Kia MOT tests we analysed. By area, lights and indicators items appear in 38% of failed tests.

What is the Kia MOT pass rate?

78% of 72,722 MOT tests on 7,761 Kia vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.

What are the common problems with the Kia?

Going by its MOT records, the Kia's most common failures are tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (2.3% of tests); windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (2.3% of tests); position lamp not working (2.1% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.

What is the most common MOT advisory on the Kia?

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge: noted at 9.1% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.

How many miles a year is a Kia typically driven?

About 7,400 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 2.5% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.

Which Kia model passes its MOT most often?

Among Kia models with at least 300 vehicles checked, the Kia Niro has the highest pass rate (91%) and the Kia Ceed the lowest (76%).

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