2021 Kia Picanto — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Kia Picanto passed 92.1% of its 23,380 recorded MOT tests. Against city cars of a similar age (6.6% fail rate), the 2021 Picanto comes out 1.3pp worse. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.8%) and tyres (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, washers and daytime running lamps — wipers alone was recorded 1,059 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.0% in the 0-30k band and 27.3% in the 90-120k band, a 20.3-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.4% of tests failed in 2023 against 8.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.8% | 1,110 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 1,083 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 600 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.7% | 160 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.4% | 86 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 37 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,059 |
| 2 | Washers | 319 |
| 3 | Daytime running lamps | 311 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 272 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 181 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 144 |
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 | 21.8% | 5,106 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.0% | 943 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.9% | 899 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 888 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 672 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.5% | 121 |
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 | 19,683 | 7.0% |
| 30-60k | 3,357 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 279 | 17.9% |
| 90-120k | 44 | 27.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 372 | 5.4% |
| 2024 | 11,268 | 7.3% |
| 2025 | 11,731 | 8.7% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Picanto
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.8% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.8% 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.
- Tyres (4.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.6% 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 2021 Kia Picantos pass their MOT?
92.1% of the 23,380 2021 Kia Picanto MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Kia Picanto?
Visibility, recorded in 4.8% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2021 Picanto get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.0% in the 0-30k band to 27.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 23,380 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.