Kia Ceed MOT pass rate & common failures
743,305 MOT tests on the Kia Ceed (2006–2025) give it a 79.2% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail 17.9% of the time, so this is 2.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Ceed years
Ranked across Ceed years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 91.1% of 2022 examples pass against 70.1% of 2007 ones.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.8% of tests against 7.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, tread depth and track rod end — position lamp alone was recorded 26,753 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.6% in the 0-30k band and 31.1% in the 150k+ band, a 22.5-point spread — more than double.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 11.9% fail against 22.1% for diesel, a 10.2-point gap across 465,498 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Ceed model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 19,524 | 70.1% | 29.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 35,608 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 51,392 | 72.0% | 28.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 57,258 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 50,778 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 79,278 | 73.7% | 26.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 71,939 | 76.0% | 23.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 70,197 | 79.0% | 21.1% | Steering |
| 2015 | 67,208 | 83.1% | 16.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 56,894 | 85.0% | 14.9% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 49,750 | 86.9% | 13.1% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 53,344 | 88.6% | 11.4% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 45,349 | 88.9% | 11.1% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 14,628 | 89.2% | 10.8% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 11,727 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 7,907 | 91.1% | 8.9% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 376 | 93.1% | 6.9% | Tyres |
| 2024 | 134 | 98.5% | 1.5% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 80,163 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.5% | 55,428 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.8% | 50,858 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.1% | 45,225 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.8% | 35,276 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.7% | 27,458 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 10,236 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 10,026 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 26,753 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 25,661 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 25,564 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 23,105 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 22,361 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 20,587 |
| 7 | Wipers | 20,344 |
| 8 | Washers | 20,294 |
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 | 27.4% | 203,506 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.7% | 176,081 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.3% | 150,580 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.9% | 81,091 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 60,555 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.5% | 33,742 |
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 | 81,118 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 206,792 | 14.8% |
| 60-90k | 211,065 | 22.4% |
| 90-120k | 146,973 | 27.6% |
| 120-150k | 67,162 | 30.1% |
| 150k+ | 30,091 | 31.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 460,327 | 22.1% |
| Petrol | 277,789 | 18.9% |
| Hybrid | 5,171 | 11.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 139,666 | 19.9% |
| 2022 | 149,111 | 20.3% |
| 2023 | 151,033 | 21.1% |
| 2024 | 151,782 | 21.7% |
| 2025 | 151,713 | 21.1% |
What to check before buying a Kia Ceed
- Lighting & signalling (10.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.5% 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 (6.8% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kia Ceed?
79.2% of the 743,305 Kia Ceed MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 20.8% fail rate, across model years 2006–2025.
What does the Kia Ceed most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.8% of tests, then brakes (7.5%).
Which Ceed years are best and worst for MOT results?
2022 has the best pass rate at 91.1% and 2007 the weakest at 70.1%, from 7,907 and 19,524 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Ceed MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 31.1% for 150k+, a 22.5-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel Ceed more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 11.9% of the time against 22.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 743,305 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.