2023 Kia Niro — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 5,724 MOT tests, the 2023 Kia Niro recorded a 95.6% pass rate. That is effectively the same as small SUVs of a similar age (4.5% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.1%) 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 washers, tread depth and wipers — washers alone was recorded 93 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 9.7% versus 3.3%.
Fuel type barely separates them — hybrid fails 4.1% of the time against 4.6% for electric.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 12.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 0.5% of tests failed in 2023 against 5.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.1% | 178 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.5% | 145 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 79 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.5% | 28 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 11 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 8 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 93 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 88 |
| 3 | Wipers | 67 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 50 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 31 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 23 |
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 | 12.6% | 721 |
| 2 | Other defects | 3.6% | 208 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.8% | 106 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 64 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.9% | 52 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 21 |
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 | 2,409 | 3.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,350 | 4.2% |
| 60-90k | 786 | 7.2% |
| 90-120k | 144 | 10.4% |
| 120-150k | 31 | 9.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | 3,915 | 4.6% |
| Hybrid | 1,809 | 4.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 206 | 0.5% |
| 2024 | 1,802 | 3.5% |
| 2025 | 3,716 | 5.1% |
What to check before buying a 2023 Niro
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.1% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.1% 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 (1.4% 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
How many 2023 Kia Niros pass their MOT?
95.6% of the 5,724 2023 Kia Niro MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 4.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2023 Kia Niro?
Tyres, recorded in 3.1% of tests, followed by visibility (2.5%).
Does the 2023 Niro get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.3% in the 0-30k band to 9.7% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,724 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.