2018 Kia Ceed — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 53,339 MOT tests analysed for the 2018 Kia Ceed, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 88.6% was below the average for small family cars of a similar age (89.6%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 23.0% in the 150k+ group versus 6.9% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.5% | 2,945 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.9% | 2,070 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 1,800 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.9% | 1,532 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.6% | 843 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 331 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,799 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,492 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,074 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,031 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 842 |
| 6 | Washers | 705 |
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 | 23.9% | 12,774 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.5% | 9,346 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.2% | 3,843 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.9% | 2,633 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 1,607 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 819 |
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 | 17,051 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 24,472 | 11.9% |
| 60-90k | 8,696 | 16.1% |
| 90-120k | 2,254 | 18.4% |
| 120-150k | 580 | 18.6% |
| 150k+ | 283 | 23.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 33,122 | 12.4% |
| Petrol | 20,217 | 9.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,062 | 8.8% |
| 2022 | 10,543 | 9.6% |
| 2023 | 10,637 | 12.0% |
| 2024 | 10,582 | 12.8% |
| 2025 | 10,515 | 13.9% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Ceed
Before buying a 2018 Kia Ceed, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 5.5% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (5.5% 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.
- Visibility (3.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (3.4% 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 2018 Kia Ceeds pass their MOT?
88.6% of the 53,339 2018 Kia Ceed MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Kia Ceed?
Tyres, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by visibility (3.9%).
Does the 2018 Ceed get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.9% in the 0-30k band to 23.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 53,339 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.