2020 Kia XCeed — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Kia XCeed passed 90.8% of its 23,739 recorded MOT tests. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 7.9% of the time, so this is 1.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.8%) and visibility (4.7%) 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 brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 1,201 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.6% in the 0-30k band and 13.2% in the 90-120k band, a 5.6-point spread.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 7.7% fail against 9.4% for petrol, a 1.7-point gap across 20,534 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 — 6.3% of tests failed in 2022 against 10.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.8% | 1,136 |
| 2 | Visibility | 4.7% | 1,121 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.6% | 380 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 236 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 171 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.4% | 87 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,201 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 904 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 273 |
| 4 | Washers | 249 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 227 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 208 |
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% | 5,556 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.9% | 3,550 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.0% | 1,887 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.3% | 1,736 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.9% | 678 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 257 |
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 | 13,194 | 7.6% |
| 30-60k | 9,415 | 11.2% |
| 60-90k | 959 | 12.1% |
| 90-120k | 144 | 13.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 18,929 | 9.4% |
| Diesel | 3,205 | 9.0% |
| Hybrid | 1,605 | 7.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 331 | 6.3% |
| 2023 | 7,764 | 7.8% |
| 2024 | 7,766 | 10.0% |
| 2025 | 7,876 | 10.0% |
What to check before buying a 2020 XCeed
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.8% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.8% 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.
- 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.
- Brakes (1.6% 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.
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 XCeeds pass their MOT?
90.8% of the 23,739 2020 Kia XCeed MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Kia XCeed?
Tyres, recorded in 4.8% of tests, followed by visibility (4.7%).
Does the 2020 XCeed get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.6% in the 0-30k band to 13.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 23,739 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.