2015 Kia Rio — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Kia Rio passed 84.9% of its 66,689 recorded MOT tests. Against superminis of a similar age (17.6% fail rate), the 2015 Rio comes out 2.4pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.8%) and lighting & signalling (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 2,463 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.9% in the 0-30k band and 27.0% in the 150k+ band, a 18.1-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 5.0pp more often than petrol ones (19.2% vs 14.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.8% | 4,514 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 3,600 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.8% | 3,191 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.2% | 2,779 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.2% | 1,439 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 870 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 2,463 |
| 2 | Wipers | 2,127 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 1,716 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,326 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,213 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 1,183 |
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 | 26.2% | 17,501 |
| 2 | Brakes | 24.6% | 16,427 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.8% | 6,519 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.8% | 5,228 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 2,051 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.7% | 1,813 |
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 | 10,656 | 8.9% |
| 30-60k | 32,255 | 14.0% |
| 60-90k | 17,803 | 18.4% |
| 90-120k | 4,787 | 22.4% |
| 120-150k | 886 | 23.3% |
| 150k+ | 296 | 27.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 53,935 | 14.2% |
| Diesel | 12,754 | 19.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,160 | 12.6% |
| 2022 | 13,255 | 13.9% |
| 2023 | 13,389 | 15.4% |
| 2024 | 13,443 | 16.5% |
| 2025 | 13,442 | 17.2% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Rio
On a 2015 Rio, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (6.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.8% 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.
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 Rios pass their MOT?
84.9% of the 66,689 2015 Kia Rio MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Kia Rio?
Tyres, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.4%).
Does the 2015 Rio get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.9% in the 0-30k band to 27.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 66,689 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.