2007 Kia Carens — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,356 MOT tests, the 2007 Kia Carens recorded a 66.8% pass rate. Against MPVs of a similar age (28.9% fail rate), the 2007 Carens comes out 4.3pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (19.0%) and brakes (17.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), stop lamp and track rod end — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 362 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 37.2% versus 23.8%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 42.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 32.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 34.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.0% | 829 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.4% | 760 |
| 3 | Suspension | 16.6% | 721 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.9% | 343 |
| 5 | Steering | 7.2% | 313 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.6% | 245 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 362 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 339 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 306 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 276 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 273 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 250 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 42.4% | 1,848 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.5% | 1,503 |
| 3 | Tyres | 33.2% | 1,445 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 13.8% | 600 |
| 5 | Other defects | 13.8% | 600 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 11.9% | 519 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 324 | 23.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,168 | 31.3% |
| 90-120k | 1,651 | 33.6% |
| 120-150k | 876 | 37.0% |
| 150k+ | 317 | 37.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,991 | 33.3% |
| Petrol | 365 | 31.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,479 | 32.7% |
| 2022 | 1,133 | 33.9% |
| 2023 | 794 | 32.1% |
| 2024 | 560 | 33.4% |
| 2025 | 390 | 34.4% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Carens
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 19.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (19.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (17.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Suspension (16.6% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2007 Kia Carenss pass their MOT?
66.8% of the 4,356 2007 Kia Carens MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 33.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Kia Carens?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.0% of tests, followed by brakes (17.4%).
Does the 2007 Carens get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.8% in the 30-60k band to 37.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,356 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.