2016 Kia Ceed — MOT failures & pass rate
56,894 MOT tests on the 2016 Kia Ceed are in this dataset, and 85.0% of them passed. That is 1.3 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 13.7%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.0%) 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 pins and bushes, tread depth and wipers — pins and bushes alone was recorded 2,048 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.8% versus 10.1%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (15.6% vs 13.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.0% | 3,439 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 3,214 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.3% | 2,443 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 2,159 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 2,091 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 395 |
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 | 2,048 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,656 |
| 3 | Wipers | 1,584 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,358 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 1,297 |
| 6 | Washers | 889 |
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 | 26.1% | 14,837 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.6% | 11,725 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.6% | 5,438 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.1% | 4,606 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 1,891 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.7% | 1,540 |
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 | 6,551 | 10.1% |
| 30-60k | 24,646 | 13.1% |
| 60-90k | 17,428 | 16.9% |
| 90-120k | 5,957 | 19.7% |
| 120-150k | 1,604 | 21.3% |
| 150k+ | 705 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 41,644 | 15.6% |
| Petrol | 15,250 | 13.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,275 | 12.3% |
| 2022 | 11,362 | 13.6% |
| 2023 | 11,427 | 15.0% |
| 2024 | 11,385 | 16.3% |
| 2025 | 11,445 | 17.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Ceed
On a 2016 Ceed, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.0% 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 (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.3% 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 2016 Kia Ceeds pass their MOT?
85.0% of the 56,894 2016 Kia Ceed MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Kia Ceed?
Tyres, recorded in 6.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.7%).
Does the 2016 Ceed get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.1% in the 0-30k band to 22.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 56,894 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.