2018 Kia Venga — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 19,581 MOT tests, the 2018 Kia Venga recorded a 93.5% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail 12.2% of the time, so this is 5.7pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in visibility, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (4.7%) and lighting & signalling (2.9%) 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 washers — wipers alone was recorded 902 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 5.1% in the 0-30k band and 18.8% in the 90-120k band, a 13.7-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.0pp more often than petrol ones (9.3% vs 6.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 4.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 4.7% | 914 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.9% | 571 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.5% | 490 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 313 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.4% | 83 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.1% | 28 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 902 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 353 |
| 3 | Washers | 251 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 230 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 147 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 140 |
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 | 19.9% | 3,893 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.4% | 2,232 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.0% | 973 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 491 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 154 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 133 |
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 | 13,798 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 5,089 | 9.2% |
| 60-90k | 593 | 14.5% |
| 90-120k | 80 | 18.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 17,712 | 6.2% |
| Diesel | 1,869 | 9.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,965 | 4.5% |
| 2022 | 3,937 | 6.3% |
| 2023 | 3,905 | 6.2% |
| 2024 | 3,840 | 7.7% |
| 2025 | 3,934 | 7.8% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Venga
On a 2018 Venga, visibility is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Visibility (4.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (2.5% 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.
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 Vengas pass their MOT?
93.5% of the 19,581 2018 Kia Venga MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Kia Venga?
Visibility, recorded in 4.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.9%).
Does the 2018 Venga get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.1% in the 0-30k band to 18.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 19,581 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.