2019 Kia Sportage — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 148,956 MOT tests, the 2019 Kia Sportage recorded an 89.4% pass rate. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 9.5% of the time, so this is 1.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.5%) and visibility (3.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 6,199 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.9% in the 0-30k band and 15.5% in the 120-150k band, a 7.6-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 10.3% of the time against 11.1% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.5% | 6,776 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.8% | 5,650 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.6% | 5,341 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 3,492 |
| 5 | Steering | 0.8% | 1,199 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 975 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 6,199 |
| 2 | Wipers | 5,366 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 4,014 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 3,729 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,506 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 1,272 |
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 | 22.7% | 33,734 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.0% | 23,881 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.4% | 14,021 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.9% | 4,362 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.7% | 4,046 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.0% | 2,926 |
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 | 65,129 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 70,388 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 11,861 | 14.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,374 | 15.1% |
| 120-150k | 174 | 15.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 98,691 | 10.3% |
| Diesel | 45,018 | 11.1% |
| Hybrid | 5,242 | 10.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,516 | 7.1% |
| 2022 | 37,077 | 8.6% |
| 2023 | 36,747 | 9.9% |
| 2024 | 36,591 | 11.7% |
| 2025 | 37,025 | 12.3% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Sportage
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.5% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.5% 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 (3.8% 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.
- Brakes (3.6% 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 2019 Kia Sportages pass their MOT?
89.4% of the 148,956 2019 Kia Sportage MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Kia Sportage?
Tyres, recorded in 4.5% of tests, followed by visibility (3.8%).
Does the 2019 Sportage get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 15.5% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 148,956 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.