2018 Kia Carens — MOT failures & pass rate
9,594 MOT tests on the 2018 Kia Carens are in this dataset, and 84.8% of them passed. Against MPVs of a similar age (12.2% fail rate), the 2018 Carens comes out 3.0pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.4%) and lighting & signalling (5.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, wipers and headlamp aim — brake pads alone was recorded 444 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.1% versus 10.8%.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 15.0% of the time against 15.3% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.4% | 610 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 543 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.0% | 477 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.4% | 419 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.7% | 163 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 145 |
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 | 444 |
| 2 | Wipers | 326 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 232 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 204 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 171 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 160 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 26.4% | 2,537 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.2% | 2,223 |
| 3 | Other defects | 11.0% | 1,059 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 266 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.9% | 187 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 136 |
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 | 3,163 | 10.8% |
| 30-60k | 4,461 | 15.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,464 | 19.5% |
| 90-120k | 350 | 24.0% |
| 120-150k | 101 | 18.8% |
| 150k+ | 54 | 24.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,814 | 15.0% |
| Petrol | 3,780 | 15.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,885 | 11.6% |
| 2022 | 1,954 | 14.3% |
| 2023 | 1,910 | 15.4% |
| 2024 | 1,908 | 16.9% |
| 2025 | 1,937 | 17.4% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Carens
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.4% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.4% 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 (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.0% 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.
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 2018 Kia Carenss pass their MOT?
84.8% of the 9,594 2018 Kia Carens MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Kia Carens?
Tyres, recorded in 6.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.7%).
Does the 2018 Carens get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.8% in the 0-30k band to 24.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,594 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.