2015 Kia Ceed — MOT failures & pass rate
67,208 MOT tests on the 2015 Kia Ceed are in this dataset, and 83.1% of them passed. Against small family cars of a similar age (15.6% fail rate), the 2015 Ceed comes out 1.3pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.4%) and brakes (5.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, tread depth and brake pads — pins and bushes alone was recorded 2,313 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.8% in the 0-30k band and 23.7% in the 150k+ band, a 12.9-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 15.4% fail against 17.7% for diesel, a 2.3-point gap across 67,208 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.4% | 4,977 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.6% | 3,768 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.6% | 3,764 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 2,582 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 2,513 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.1% | 705 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 2,313 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,912 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,779 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,687 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 1,483 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1,455 |
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 | 26.2% | 17,607 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.0% | 14,815 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.2% | 7,549 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.2% | 5,521 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.5% | 2,342 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.1% | 2,112 |
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 | 4,561 | 10.8% |
| 30-60k | 25,375 | 14.2% |
| 60-90k | 23,562 | 17.9% |
| 90-120k | 9,680 | 21.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,860 | 23.9% |
| 150k+ | 1,161 | 23.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 42,632 | 17.7% |
| Petrol | 24,576 | 15.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,159 | 13.7% |
| 2022 | 13,321 | 14.9% |
| 2023 | 13,528 | 17.2% |
| 2024 | 13,603 | 18.8% |
| 2025 | 13,597 | 19.8% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Ceed
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.4% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.6% 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 (5.6% 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.
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 Ceeds pass their MOT?
83.1% of the 67,208 2015 Kia Ceed MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Kia Ceed?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.4% of tests, followed by brakes (5.6%).
Does the 2015 Ceed get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.8% in the 0-30k band to 23.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 67,208 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.