Kia Niro MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 14 model years and 299,874 tests, the Kia Niro passes its MOT 92.1% of the time. That is effectively the same as small SUVs of a similar age (8.2% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst Niro years
Ranked across Niro years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2024 (97.7% pass rate); the weakest is 2016 (89.4%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — tyres (5.3%) and visibility (2.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 8,301 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Niro fails 6.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 8.3% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.1 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — electric fails 7.4% of the time against 8.1% for hybrid.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.8% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Niro model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 7,218 | 89.4% | 10.6% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 24,905 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 39,824 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 46,953 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 67,055 | 92.1% | 7.9% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 65,849 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 40,125 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 5,724 | 95.6% | 4.4% | Tyres |
| 2024 | 2,125 | 97.7% | 2.3% | Tyres |
| 2025 | 94 | 100.0% | 0.0% | - |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.3% | 15,902 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.9% | 8,713 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 7,266 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.1% | 3,279 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.2% | 644 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.2% | 594 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 436 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.1% | 361 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 8,301 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 6,838 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 3,964 |
| 4 | Washers | 1,868 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 1,659 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,525 |
| 7 | Service brake performance | 1,289 |
| 8 | Rbt (sp) | 974 |
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 | 21.8% | 65,208 |
| 2 | Other defects | 5.6% | 16,748 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.5% | 16,468 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 8,330 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 3,235 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 2,515 |
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 | 111,340 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 116,083 | 9.0% |
| 60-90k | 42,193 | 8.8% |
| 90-120k | 16,927 | 8.2% |
| 120-150k | 7,346 | 8.1% |
| 150k+ | 5,973 | 8.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 203,294 | 8.1% |
| Electric | 96,323 | 7.4% |
| Petrol | 247 | 5.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,533 | 7.1% |
| 2022 | 29,808 | 7.3% |
| 2023 | 56,238 | 7.5% |
| 2024 | 84,666 | 8.0% |
| 2025 | 112,629 | 8.2% |
What to check before buying a Kia Niro
- Tyres (5.3% 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 (2.9% 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 (2.4% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kia Niro?
92.1% of the 299,874 Kia Niro MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.9% fail rate, across model years 2012–2025.
What does the Kia Niro most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 5.3% of tests, then visibility (2.9%).
Which Niro years are best and worst for MOT results?
2024 has the best pass rate at 97.7% and 2016 the weakest at 89.4%, from 2,125 and 7,218 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Niro MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 8.3% for 150k+, a 2.1-point difference.
Is the electric or hybrid Niro more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the electric fails 7.4% of the time against 8.1% for the hybrid. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 299,874 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.