2023 Kia Picanto — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 796 MOT tests, the 2023 Kia Picanto recorded a 94.1% pass rate. That is 1.1 percentage points worse than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 4.8%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.9%) and lighting & signalling (2.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, wipers and pins and bushes — headlamp aim alone was recorded 20 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 12.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.9% | 23 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 19 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.9% | 15 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.0% | 8 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.4% | 3 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 20 |
| 2 | Wipers | 10 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 10 |
| 4 | Washers | 10 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 5 |
| 6 | Attachment | 4 |
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 | 12.7% | 101 |
| 2 | Suspension | 3.3% | 26 |
| 3 | Other defects | 1.8% | 14 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.9% | 7 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.8% | 6 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.6% | 5 |
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 | 744 | 5.8% |
| 30-60k | 50 | 8.0% |
What to check before buying a 2023 Picanto
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 2.9% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (2.9% 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 (2.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.9% 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 2023 Kia Picantos pass their MOT?
94.1% of the 796 2023 Kia Picanto MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2023 Kia Picanto?
Tyres, recorded in 2.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.4%).
Does the 2023 Picanto get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.8% in the 0-30k band to 8.0% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 796 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.