2019 Kia Stonic — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Kia Stonic passed 92.6% of its 35,390 recorded MOT tests. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 8.8% of the time, so this is 1.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in visibility, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.0%) 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 wipers, brake pads and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 1,308 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 12.5% versus 4.7%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.4pp more often than petrol ones (9.7% vs 7.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 16.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.0% | 1,399 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.6% | 936 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.2% | 773 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 648 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 245 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 132 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,308 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 883 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 518 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 399 |
| 5 | Washers | 354 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 235 |
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 | 16.4% | 5,803 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.6% | 5,534 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.3% | 2,593 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.0% | 1,060 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 513 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.9% | 335 |
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 | 19,731 | 4.7% |
| 30-60k | 13,817 | 10.5% |
| 60-90k | 1,682 | 14.2% |
| 90-120k | 136 | 12.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 33,081 | 7.3% |
| Diesel | 2,309 | 9.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 319 | 3.8% |
| 2022 | 8,648 | 4.2% |
| 2023 | 8,707 | 6.7% |
| 2024 | 8,736 | 9.0% |
| 2025 | 8,980 | 9.8% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Stonic
On a 2019 Stonic, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (4.0% 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 (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.
- Tyres (2.2% 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.
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 Stonics pass their MOT?
92.6% of the 35,390 2019 Kia Stonic MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Kia Stonic?
Visibility, recorded in 4.0% of tests, followed by brakes (2.6%).
Does the 2019 Stonic get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.7% in the 0-30k band to 12.5% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 35,390 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.