2007 Kia Rio — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 Kia Rio passed 70.1% of its 9,503 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.2 percentage points worse than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 27.7%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (16.3%) and brakes (13.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, position lamp and ball joint — track rod end alone was recorded 940 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 31.4% versus 16.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 28.2% fail against 31.7% for diesel, a 3.5-point gap across 9,503 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 36.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 30.3% in 2021 to 28.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.3% | 1,553 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.5% | 1,281 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.4% | 1,271 |
| 4 | Steering | 9.6% | 908 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.0% | 662 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.5% | 615 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 940 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 780 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 636 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 609 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 538 |
| 6 | Wipers | 492 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 36.8% | 3,497 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.5% | 3,276 |
| 3 | Tyres | 31.4% | 2,988 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 16.3% | 1,550 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.9% | 1,226 |
| 6 | Steering | 12.7% | 1,210 |
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 | 240 | 16.7% |
| 30-60k | 1,647 | 24.2% |
| 60-90k | 3,133 | 28.9% |
| 90-120k | 2,761 | 33.5% |
| 120-150k | 1,228 | 33.9% |
| 150k+ | 491 | 31.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,976 | 28.2% |
| Diesel | 4,527 | 31.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,591 | 30.3% |
| 2022 | 2,198 | 29.2% |
| 2023 | 1,890 | 29.5% |
| 2024 | 1,610 | 31.7% |
| 2025 | 1,214 | 28.5% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Rio
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 16.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (16.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (13.5% 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.
- Suspension (13.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 2007 Kia Rios pass their MOT?
70.1% of the 9,503 2007 Kia Rio MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Kia Rio?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.3% of tests, followed by brakes (13.5%).
Does the 2007 Rio get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.7% in the 0-30k band to 31.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,503 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.