2018 Kia Stinger — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,600 MOT tests, the 2018 Kia Stinger recorded a 91.0% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 11.0% of the time, so this is 2.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.3%) and brakes (2.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 119 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.9% once past 90-120k — 3.5× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 8.4% fail against 10.9% for diesel, a 2.5-point gap across 3,600 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 8.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.3% | 191 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.6% | 92 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.8% | 66 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 64 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.6% | 20 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 16 |
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 | 119 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 86 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 70 |
| 4 | Wipers | 62 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 35 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 16 |
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 | 23.4% | 841 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.7% | 529 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.3% | 156 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 90 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 25 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 20 |
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 | 1,513 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 1,605 | 10.2% |
| 60-90k | 402 | 11.9% |
| 90-120k | 73 | 21.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,728 | 8.4% |
| Diesel | 872 | 10.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 709 | 6.5% |
| 2022 | 732 | 8.5% |
| 2023 | 750 | 10.8% |
| 2024 | 708 | 10.3% |
| 2025 | 701 | 8.7% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Stinger
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.3% 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.
- Brakes (2.6% 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.
- Visibility (1.8% 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.
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 2018 Kia Stingers pass their MOT?
91.0% of the 3,600 2018 Kia Stinger MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Kia Stinger?
Tyres, recorded in 5.3% of tests, followed by brakes (2.6%).
Does the 2018 Stinger get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 21.9% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,600 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.