2020 Kia Sorento — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,981 MOT tests, the 2020 Kia Sorento recorded an 89.9% pass rate. Large SUVs of a similar age fail at 9.3%, so the 2020 Sorento sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.3%) and tyres (3.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 118 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.9% versus 7.2%.
Fuel type barely separates them — hybrid fails 9.8% of the time against 10.3% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 2.8% of tests failed in 2022 against 11.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 173 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.9% | 154 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.8% | 111 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.7% | 68 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.6% | 65 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 38 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 118 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 112 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 66 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 55 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 53 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 52 |
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 | 21.8% | 867 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.5% | 459 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.3% | 369 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 153 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.2% | 126 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.0% | 120 |
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 | 1,673 | 7.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,995 | 11.8% |
| 60-90k | 263 | 14.1% |
| 90-120k | 41 | 21.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,200 | 10.3% |
| Hybrid | 1,759 | 9.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 71 | 2.8% |
| 2023 | 1,273 | 8.1% |
| 2024 | 1,302 | 10.4% |
| 2025 | 1,306 | 11.9% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Sorento
On a 2020 Sorento, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.9% 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.
- Visibility (2.8% 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 2020 Kia Sorentos pass their MOT?
89.9% of the 3,981 2020 Kia Sorento MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Kia Sorento?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by tyres (3.9%).
Does the 2020 Sorento get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.2% in the 0-30k band to 21.9% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,981 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.