2020 Kia Sportage — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 64,431 MOT tests, the 2020 Kia Sportage recorded an 89.7% pass rate. That is 1.6 percentage points worse than mid-size SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 8.8%. Failures cluster in visibility, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.4%) and tyres (4.1%) 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 headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 2,867 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 Sportage fails 8.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 6.7% at 120-150k, a spread of only 1.6 points.
The petrol cars hold up better: 10.2% fail against 13.0% for diesel, a 2.9-point gap across 45,668 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.4% | 2,859 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.1% | 2,640 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.8% | 1,776 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 1,580 |
| 5 | Steering | 1.3% | 837 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 595 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,867 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,379 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,837 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,185 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 905 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 877 |
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 | 22.5% | 14,495 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.3% | 8,577 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.0% | 5,811 |
| 4 | Steering | 5.0% | 3,210 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.2% | 2,712 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.0% | 1,953 |
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 | 33,763 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 27,472 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 2,879 | 15.1% |
| 90-120k | 262 | 14.1% |
| 120-150k | 45 | 6.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 43,321 | 10.2% |
| Hybrid | 18,763 | 10.4% |
| Diesel | 2,347 | 13.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33 | 6.1% |
| 2022 | 1,124 | 7.2% |
| 2023 | 21,306 | 9.1% |
| 2024 | 20,759 | 10.3% |
| 2025 | 21,209 | 11.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Sportage
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 4.4% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (4.4% 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 (4.1% 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.
- Brakes (2.8% 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 2020 Kia Sportages pass their MOT?
89.7% of the 64,431 2020 Kia Sportage MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Kia Sportage?
Visibility, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by tyres (4.1%).
Does the 2020 Sportage get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 6.7% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 64,431 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.