2006 Kia Sportage — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2006 Kia Sportage passed 68.0% of its 10,128 recorded MOT tests. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 27.7% of the time, so this is 4.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 22.0% of tests against 15.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, position lamp and pins and bushes — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 776 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2006 Sportage fails 32.4% of the time in the 0-30k band and 36.1% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.8 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 31.4% of the time against 32.2% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 41.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 30.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 32.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 22.0% | 2,226 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.3% | 1,549 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.1% | 1,126 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 870 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.0% | 506 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.9% | 494 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 776 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 733 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 706 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 702 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 539 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 511 |
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 | 41.1% | 4,159 |
| 2 | Brakes | 32.2% | 3,260 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.4% | 2,876 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 18.4% | 1,861 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 16.7% | 1,688 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 16.2% | 1,641 |
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 | 34 | 32.4% |
| 30-60k | 412 | 23.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,864 | 28.0% |
| 90-120k | 3,809 | 32.0% |
| 120-150k | 2,923 | 34.3% |
| 150k+ | 1,085 | 36.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 7,375 | 32.2% |
| Petrol | 2,753 | 31.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,158 | 30.7% |
| 2022 | 2,604 | 32.4% |
| 2023 | 1,939 | 32.8% |
| 2024 | 1,408 | 32.5% |
| 2025 | 1,019 | 32.7% |
What to check before buying a 2006 Sportage
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 22.0% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (22.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (15.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.1% 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
How many 2006 Kia Sportages pass their MOT?
68.0% of the 10,128 2006 Kia Sportage MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 32.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2006 Kia Sportage?
Suspension, recorded in 22.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (15.3%).
Does the 2006 Sportage get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 32.4% in the 0-30k band to 36.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,128 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.