Kia Sedona MOT pass rate & common failures
42,633 MOT tests on the Kia Sedona (1999–2021) give it a 70.8% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail 27.8% of the time, so this is 1.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
Best and worst Sedona years
Ranked across Sedona years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 76.7% of 2011 examples pass against 62.4% of 2004 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (16.5%) and suspension (13.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp and ball joint — position lamp alone was recorded 2,358 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 15.2% in the 0-30k band and 34.1% in the 150k+ band, a 18.9-point spread — more than double.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 28.6% of the time against 29.2% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 37.0% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Sedona model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 36 | 66.7% | 33.3% | Brakes |
| 2001 | 106 | 68.9% | 31.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 218 | 65.1% | 34.9% | Brakes |
| 2003 | 976 | 66.7% | 33.3% | Brakes |
| 2004 | 2,442 | 62.4% | 37.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 3,546 | 66.5% | 33.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 5,135 | 67.7% | 32.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 7,207 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 7,613 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 3,873 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 5,754 | 74.5% | 25.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 4,747 | 76.7% | 23.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 924 | 77.9% | 22.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.5% | 7,038 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.6% | 5,816 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.5% | 5,329 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.3% | 2,701 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.5% | 2,350 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.4% | 2,321 |
| 7 | Steering | 4.4% | 1,869 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.9% | 1,253 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 2,358 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 2,178 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 2,160 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 2,058 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 2,039 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 1,984 |
| 7 | Rigid brake pipes | 1,666 |
| 8 | Rbt (sp) | 1,646 |
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 | 37.0% | 15,757 |
| 2 | Brakes | 32.0% | 13,630 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.3% | 11,626 |
| 4 | Other defects | 16.2% | 6,920 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 14.8% | 6,325 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 5,871 |
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 | 841 | 15.2% |
| 30-60k | 5,012 | 20.6% |
| 60-90k | 11,472 | 26.9% |
| 90-120k | 14,254 | 31.3% |
| 120-150k | 7,639 | 33.5% |
| 150k+ | 3,399 | 34.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 41,926 | 29.2% |
| Petrol | 707 | 28.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,219 | 29.4% |
| 2022 | 10,037 | 28.9% |
| 2023 | 8,282 | 29.1% |
| 2024 | 6,718 | 29.4% |
| 2025 | 5,377 | 28.9% |
What to check before buying a Kia Sedona
- Lighting & signalling (16.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (13.6% 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.
- Brakes (12.5% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Kia Sedona?
70.8% of the 42,633 Kia Sedona MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 29.2% fail rate, across model years 1999–2021.
What does the Kia Sedona most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.5% of tests, then suspension (13.6%).
Which Sedona years are best and worst for MOT results?
2011 has the best pass rate at 76.7% and 2004 the weakest at 62.4%, from 4,747 and 2,442 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Sedona MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.1% for 150k+, a 18.9-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Sedona more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 28.6% of the time against 29.2% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 42,633 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.