2015 Kia Picanto — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 80,141 MOT tests, the 2015 Kia Picanto recorded an 84.5% pass rate. City cars of a similar age fail at 15.6%, so the 2015 Picanto sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in brakes, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (7.4%) and tyres (5.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, rbt (sp) and parking brake performance — wipers alone was recorded 2,687 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 31.0% once past 150k — 2.9× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 24.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 7.4% | 5,961 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.8% | 4,630 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.6% | 3,675 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.5% | 2,761 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 2,282 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 573 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,687 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 2,652 |
| 3 | Parking brake performance | 1,905 |
| 4 | Washers | 1,770 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,682 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 1,573 |
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 | 24.9% | 19,987 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.8% | 19,048 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.9% | 5,559 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.5% | 4,380 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 2,450 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.7% | 1,368 |
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 | 27,106 | 10.7% |
| 30-60k | 37,530 | 16.3% |
| 60-90k | 12,912 | 21.7% |
| 90-120k | 2,169 | 24.7% |
| 120-150k | 319 | 24.1% |
| 150k+ | 100 | 31.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,644 | 12.7% |
| 2022 | 15,918 | 14.1% |
| 2023 | 15,912 | 14.9% |
| 2024 | 16,325 | 17.8% |
| 2025 | 16,342 | 18.1% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Picanto
On a 2015 Picanto, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (7.4% 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.
- Tyres (5.8% 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 (4.6% 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.
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 2015 Kia Picantos pass their MOT?
84.5% of the 80,141 2015 Kia Picanto MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Kia Picanto?
Brakes, recorded in 7.4% of tests, followed by tyres (5.8%).
Does the 2015 Picanto get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.7% in the 0-30k band to 31.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 80,141 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.