2014 Kia Picanto — MOT failures & pass rate
87,057 MOT tests on the 2014 Kia Picanto are in this dataset, and 82.5% of them passed. That is effectively the same as city cars of a similar age (17.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: brakes, recorded in 8.9% of tests against 5.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), wipers and position lamp — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 3,282 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.8% in the 0-30k band and 26.6% in the 150k+ band, a 15.8-point spread — more than double.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 26.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 8.9% | 7,724 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 4,965 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.4% | 4,735 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.2% | 3,666 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.3% | 2,868 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 1,176 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 3,282 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,799 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 2,648 |
| 4 | Parking brake performance | 2,469 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 2,046 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 2,011 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 26.9% | 23,423 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.8% | 22,416 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.4% | 8,148 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.7% | 4,987 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 3,506 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.0% | 2,637 |
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 | 21,372 | 10.8% |
| 30-60k | 41,897 | 17.4% |
| 60-90k | 19,027 | 23.0% |
| 90-120k | 3,998 | 25.9% |
| 120-150k | 637 | 29.4% |
| 150k+ | 124 | 26.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,980 | 14.5% |
| 2022 | 17,236 | 15.7% |
| 2023 | 17,513 | 17.5% |
| 2024 | 17,614 | 19.3% |
| 2025 | 17,714 | 20.4% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Picanto
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 8.9% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (8.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.4% 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.
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 2014 Kia Picantos pass their MOT?
82.5% of the 87,057 2014 Kia Picanto MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Kia Picanto?
Brakes, recorded in 8.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.7%).
Does the 2014 Picanto get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.8% in the 0-30k band to 26.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 87,057 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.