2019 Kia Soul — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Kia Soul passed 92.2% of its 1,509 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as small SUVs of a similar age (8.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.2%) and tyres (3.3%) 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 69 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.9% once past 60-90k — 3.5× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 7.1% of the time against 8.4% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 16.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 0.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.2% | 64 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.3% | 50 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.2% | 48 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.4% | 36 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 7 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 69 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 35 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 27 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 26 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 14 |
| 6 | Washers | 14 |
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 | 16.4% | 248 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.2% | 169 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.2% | 93 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.6% | 54 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 20 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 17 |
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 | 985 | 5.5% |
| 30-60k | 444 | 11.3% |
| 60-90k | 74 | 18.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 755 | 7.1% |
| Diesel | 619 | 8.4% |
| Electric | 135 | 8.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 32 | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 385 | 7.3% |
| 2023 | 368 | 6.8% |
| 2024 | 360 | 9.2% |
| 2025 | 364 | 8.8% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Soul
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.2% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.2% 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.
- Tyres (3.3% 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 (3.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2019 Kia Souls pass their MOT?
92.2% of the 1,509 2019 Kia Soul MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Kia Soul?
Visibility, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by tyres (3.3%).
Does the 2019 Soul get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.5% in the 0-30k band to 18.9% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,509 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.