2016 Kia Niro — MOT failures & pass rate
7,218 MOT tests on the 2016 Kia Niro are in this dataset, and 89.4% of them passed. Against small SUVs of a similar age (14.1% fail rate), the 2016 Niro comes out 3.5pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.7%) and visibility (3.1%) 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 service brake performance — wipers alone was recorded 181 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2016 Niro fails 8.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 10.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.1 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.7% | 411 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.1% | 226 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.1% | 223 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 155 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 61 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 31 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 181 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 146 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 106 |
| 4 | Washers | 81 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 73 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 69 |
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 | 25.9% | 1,867 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.5% | 831 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.1% | 511 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.6% | 189 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.3% | 166 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 99 |
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 | 1,270 | 8.7% |
| 30-60k | 3,228 | 10.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,717 | 12.3% |
| 90-120k | 583 | 13.2% |
| 120-150k | 216 | 8.8% |
| 150k+ | 204 | 10.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,409 | 8.5% |
| 2022 | 1,450 | 10.1% |
| 2023 | 1,463 | 11.0% |
| 2024 | 1,451 | 11.0% |
| 2025 | 1,445 | 12.3% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Niro
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.7% of tests. Start there.
- 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 (3.1% 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.
- Brakes (3.1% 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 Niros pass their MOT?
89.4% of the 7,218 2016 Kia Niro MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Kia Niro?
Tyres, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by visibility (3.1%).
Does the 2016 Niro get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.7% in the 0-30k band to 10.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,218 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.