Kia Cerato
From 1,336 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded and a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 90 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 90 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 82 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 82 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 80 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 62 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 59 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 51 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 49 |
| headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective | 47 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 47 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 43.6% of Cerato failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 12.3% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £125.
Kia Cerato on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 218 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 218. At this rate, roughly 3.8 years until none remain. Now at 14% of its peak (5,821 in 2009 Q1).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 459 | 355 | +0 | -35 | -35 |
| 2025 Q2 | 498 | 351 | +0 | -36 | -36 |
| 2025 Q1 | 534 | 351 | +0 | -80 | -80 |
| 2024 Q4 | 612 | 353 | +0 | -67 | -67 |
| 2024 Q3 | 672 | 360 | +0 | -59 | -59 |
| 2024 Q2 | 731 | 360 | +0 | -55 | -55 |
| 2024 Q1 | 777 | 369 | +0 | -64 | -64 |
| 2023 Q4 | 845 | 365 | +0 | -40 | -40 |
4 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerato Lx | Gas | 199 | 51% |
| Cerato Lx Auto | Petrol | 76 | 20% |
| Cerato Gs | Diesel | 58 | 15% |
| Cerato Zapp | Petrol | 54 | 14% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 60.6% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2005 | 60% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2004 | 59.1% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
Typical mileage
Half of all Ceratos tested had between 73,517 and 112,847 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 81,625 median miles, the Cerato has 0.049 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Kia models
| Kia Sportage | 81% |
| Kia Picanto | 76.9% |
| Kia Ceed | 73.9% |
| Kia Rio | 74.7% |
| Kia Venga | 77.2% |
Common questions
What is the Kia Cerato MOT pass rate?
The Kia Cerato has a 60.4% MOT pass rate based on 1,336 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Kia Cerato?
The most common MOT failure on the Kia Cerato is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 90 failures. Other common issues include brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded.
How many Kia Ceratos are on UK roads?
There are 459 Kia Ceratos currently licensed on UK roads, with 355 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Kia Cerato at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Kia Cerato is 81,625 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 73,517 and 112,847 miles.
Buying a used Cerato?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 60.4% pass rate and an average repair bill of £125 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.