2016 Kia Soul — MOT failures & pass rate
12,105 MOT tests on the 2016 Kia Soul are in this dataset, and 88.4% of them passed. That is 2.5 percentage points better than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 14.1%. Failures cluster in brakes, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (5.4%) and tyres (4.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 307 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.3% versus 6.7%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 11.5% of the time against 11.8% for electric.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.4% | 654 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.6% | 562 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.1% | 373 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.7% | 323 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 157 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 37 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 307 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 291 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 260 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 216 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 143 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 140 |
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 | 23.5% | 2,848 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.7% | 2,384 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.2% | 868 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.4% | 529 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 455 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.2% | 150 |
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 | 3,036 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 6,061 | 11.2% |
| 60-90k | 2,377 | 16.6% |
| 90-120k | 504 | 19.6% |
| 120-150k | 92 | 25.0% |
| 150k+ | 30 | 33.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 8,090 | 11.7% |
| Petrol | 3,234 | 11.5% |
| Electric | 781 | 11.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,391 | 8.9% |
| 2022 | 2,392 | 9.2% |
| 2023 | 2,419 | 11.5% |
| 2024 | 2,430 | 13.0% |
| 2025 | 2,473 | 15.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Soul
On a 2016 Soul, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (5.4% 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.
- Tyres (4.6% 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 (3.1% 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 2016 Kia Souls pass their MOT?
88.4% of the 12,105 2016 Kia Soul MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Kia Soul?
Brakes, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by tyres (4.6%).
Does the 2016 Soul get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 33.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,105 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.