2007 Kia Sorento — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 10,214 MOT tests, the 2007 Kia Sorento recorded a 70.2% pass rate. That is 6.3 percentage points worse than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 23.4%. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (17.0%) and lighting & signalling (16.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, track rod end and rigid brake pipes — ball joint alone was recorded 745 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 18.9% in the 30-60k band and 33.5% in the 150k+ band, a 14.5-point spread.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 36.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 29.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 31.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 17.0% | 1,737 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 16.0% | 1,633 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.1% | 1,445 |
| 4 | Steering | 6.5% | 667 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.3% | 649 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.9% | 402 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 745 |
| 2 | Track rod end | 688 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 663 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 645 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 640 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 583 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 36.0% | 3,678 |
| 2 | Suspension | 29.5% | 3,017 |
| 3 | Tyres | 23.0% | 2,353 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.9% | 2,037 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.9% | 1,218 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 11.8% | 1,200 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 317 | 18.9% |
| 60-90k | 2,055 | 25.7% |
| 90-120k | 4,339 | 29.6% |
| 120-150k | 2,641 | 33.6% |
| 150k+ | 837 | 33.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 10,153 | 29.8% |
| Petrol | 61 | 27.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,944 | 29.2% |
| 2022 | 2,506 | 29.8% |
| 2023 | 2,074 | 29.4% |
| 2024 | 1,547 | 30.5% |
| 2025 | 1,143 | 31.1% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Sorento
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 17.0% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (17.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (16.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (14.1% 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 Sorentos pass their MOT?
70.2% of the 10,214 2007 Kia Sorento MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Kia Sorento?
Brakes, recorded in 17.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (16.0%).
Does the 2007 Sorento get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.9% in the 30-60k band to 33.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,214 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.