2021 Kia Ceed — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,727 MOT tests, the 2021 Kia Ceed recorded an 89.3% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail 8.3% of the time, so this is 2.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.7%) and visibility (4.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 620 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 18.1% versus 6.8%.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 2.3pp more often than petrol ones (12.2% vs 9.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.7% | 664 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.9% | 576 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 310 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.8% | 207 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 102 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 81 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 620 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 283 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 199 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 138 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 124 |
| 6 | Washers | 99 |
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 | 22.6% | 2,655 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.9% | 1,745 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.2% | 1,073 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.7% | 780 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 436 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.9% | 102 |
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 | 4,984 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 5,269 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,093 | 17.3% |
| 90-120k | 289 | 10.7% |
| 120-150k | 72 | 18.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,849 | 9.9% |
| Hybrid | 4,522 | 12.2% |
| Diesel | 356 | 7.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 52 | 3.9% |
| 2022 | 63 | 3.2% |
| 2023 | 214 | 6.5% |
| 2024 | 5,631 | 10.5% |
| 2025 | 5,767 | 11.3% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Ceed
On a 2021 Ceed, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.7% 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 (4.9% 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 (2.6% 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 2021 Kia Ceeds pass their MOT?
89.3% of the 11,727 2021 Kia Ceed MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Kia Ceed?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by visibility (4.9%).
Does the 2021 Ceed get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.8% in the 0-30k band to 18.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,727 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.