2022 Kia Sportage — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2022 Kia Sportage passed 92.9% of its 33,037 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as mid-size SUVs of a similar age (7.6% 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 (3.4%) 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 tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 1,367 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2022 Sportage fails 5.9% of the time in the 0-30k band and 7.9% at 90-120k, a spread of only 2.0 points.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 6.5% fail against 8.5% for diesel, a 1.9-point gap across 17,885 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 15.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 0.0% of tests failed in 2022 against 7.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.2% | 1,379 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.4% | 1,117 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 566 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.4% | 463 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 166 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.2% | 53 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,367 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 693 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 489 |
| 4 | Washers | 253 |
| 5 | Electronic parking brake | 197 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 174 |
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 | 15.6% | 5,158 |
| 2 | Other defects | 6.9% | 2,287 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.8% | 1,576 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.7% | 895 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.6% | 185 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 113 |
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 | 22,055 | 5.9% |
| 30-60k | 10,199 | 9.4% |
| 60-90k | 677 | 13.0% |
| 90-120k | 89 | 7.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 16,891 | 6.5% |
| Petrol | 15,152 | 7.7% |
| Diesel | 994 | 8.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 59 | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 94 | 5.3% |
| 2024 | 1,731 | 6.1% |
| 2025 | 31,153 | 7.2% |
What to check before buying a 2022 Sportage
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 (3.4% 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 (1.7% 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 2022 Kia Sportages pass their MOT?
92.9% of the 33,037 2022 Kia Sportage MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2022 Kia Sportage?
Visibility, recorded in 4.2% of tests, followed by tyres (3.4%).
Does the 2022 Sportage get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.9% in the 0-30k band to 7.9% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 33,037 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.