2022 Kia Niro — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2022 Kia Niro passed 93.3% of its 40,125 recorded MOT tests. Small SUVs of a similar age fail at 6.1%, so the 2022 Niro sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.0%) and visibility (2.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 985 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 12.5% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — electric fails 6.6% of the time against 6.8% for hybrid.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 18.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 0.8% of tests failed in 2022 against 7.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.0% | 2,015 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.5% | 1,002 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 828 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.6% | 235 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.2% | 66 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.1% | 58 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 985 |
| 2 | Wipers | 968 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 562 |
| 4 | Washers | 203 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 194 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 181 |
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 | 18.4% | 7,366 |
| 2 | Other defects | 4.9% | 1,982 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.1% | 1,239 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 991 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 359 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.8% | 314 |
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 | 18,343 | 5.3% |
| 30-60k | 13,822 | 7.9% |
| 60-90k | 5,160 | 7.1% |
| 90-120k | 2,095 | 8.1% |
| 120-150k | 497 | 8.8% |
| 150k+ | 208 | 12.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | 24,292 | 6.6% |
| Hybrid | 15,646 | 6.8% |
| Petrol | 187 | 5.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 265 | 0.8% |
| 2023 | 4,314 | 3.6% |
| 2024 | 6,685 | 5.5% |
| 2025 | 28,861 | 7.5% |
What to check before buying a 2022 Niro
On a 2022 Niro, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.0% 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 (2.5% 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 (2.1% 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 2022 Kia Niros pass their MOT?
93.3% of the 40,125 2022 Kia Niro MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2022 Kia Niro?
Tyres, recorded in 5.0% of tests, followed by visibility (2.5%).
Does the 2022 Niro get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.3% in the 0-30k band to 12.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 40,125 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.