2015 Kia Carens — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 13,218 MOT tests, the 2015 Kia Carens recorded an 80.6% pass rate. Against MPVs of a similar age (17.1% fail rate), the 2015 Carens comes out 2.3pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (8.4%) and tyres (7.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, shock absorbers and stop lamp — brake pads alone was recorded 725 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.5% in the 0-30k band and 25.0% in the 150k+ band, a 13.6-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.9pp more often than petrol ones (19.7% vs 17.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 30.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 16.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 8.4% | 1,111 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.0% | 926 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 918 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.1% | 680 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.2% | 427 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 168 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 725 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 396 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 381 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 347 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 306 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 278 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 30.8% | 4,073 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.1% | 3,577 |
| 3 | Other defects | 12.5% | 1,656 |
| 4 | Suspension | 11.5% | 1,515 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.6% | 480 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.2% | 290 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 629 | 11.5% |
| 30-60k | 4,556 | 15.9% |
| 60-90k | 5,004 | 20.3% |
| 90-120k | 2,123 | 25.0% |
| 120-150k | 618 | 24.1% |
| 150k+ | 288 | 25.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,258 | 19.7% |
| Petrol | 1,960 | 17.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,608 | 16.0% |
| 2022 | 2,604 | 17.2% |
| 2023 | 2,678 | 19.8% |
| 2024 | 2,686 | 21.3% |
| 2025 | 2,642 | 22.8% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Carens
On a 2015 Carens, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (8.4% 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.
- Tyres (7.0% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (7.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2015 Kia Carenss pass their MOT?
80.6% of the 13,218 2015 Kia Carens MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Kia Carens?
Brakes, recorded in 8.4% of tests, followed by tyres (7.0%).
Does the 2015 Carens get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.5% in the 0-30k band to 25.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,218 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.