Kia Magentis MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 10 model years and 4,890 tests, the Kia Magentis passes its MOT 71.7% of the time. That is 1.9 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.3%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.2%) and suspension (12.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and service brake performance — headlamp aim alone was recorded 361 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.1% once past 150k — 2.2× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.6pp more often than petrol ones (29.3% vs 27.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 37.6% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Magentis model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 31 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 107 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Brakes |
| 2003 | 203 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Brakes |
| 2004 | 324 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2005 | 532 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 986 | 70.4% | 29.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 668 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 494 | 72.7% | 27.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 859 | 71.6% | 28.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 686 | 71.6% | 28.4% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.2% | 644 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.7% | 620 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.9% | 580 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.0% | 292 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.7% | 279 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.4% | 263 |
| 7 | Steering | 3.8% | 184 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.7% | 179 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 361 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 292 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 248 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 207 |
| 5 | Wipers | 192 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 184 |
| 7 | Ball joint | 172 |
| 8 | Track rod end | 167 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 37.6% | 1,837 |
| 2 | Brakes | 35.9% | 1,757 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.8% | 1,410 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 15.5% | 760 |
| 5 | Other defects | 13.3% | 648 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 12.4% | 607 |
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 | 120 | 15.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,052 | 24.2% |
| 60-90k | 1,812 | 28.2% |
| 90-120k | 1,232 | 32.0% |
| 120-150k | 441 | 28.8% |
| 150k+ | 233 | 33.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 3,207 | 27.7% |
| Diesel | 1,680 | 29.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,442 | 26.8% |
| 2022 | 1,206 | 30.2% |
| 2023 | 952 | 27.9% |
| 2024 | 731 | 28.3% |
| 2025 | 559 | 28.3% |
What to check before buying a Kia Magentis
- Lighting & signalling (13.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.7% 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.
- Brakes (11.9% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kia Magentis?
71.7% of the 4,890 Kia Magentis MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 28.3% fail rate, across model years 2001–2010.
What does the Kia Magentis most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.2% of tests, then suspension (12.7%).
How much does mileage affect Magentis MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 33.1% for 150k+, a 18.1-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Magentis more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 27.7% of the time against 29.3% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,890 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.