Kia Rio
From 154,264 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Rios fare better: 2022 models pass at 97% vs 60.8% for 2004.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 5,359 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 5,359 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 3,993 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 3,968 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 3,595 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 2,963 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 2,885 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 2,780 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 2,694 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 2,479 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 2,403 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 43.5% of failures are serious: 43.5% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 0% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £91.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Rio passes its MOT 87.6% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 81.2%, a 6.4 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 70.8%. With an average repair bill of £91 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Rio that's past its third birthday.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 76.1% while Diesel versions pass at 69.7%, a 6 percentage point gap.
Kia Rio on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 3,771 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 5 newly registered, a net loss of 3,766. At this rate, roughly 26.7 years until none remain.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 96,772 | 3,739 | +0 | -1,022 | -1,022 |
| 2025 Q2 | 97,881 | 3,652 | +1 | -1,118 | -1,117 |
| 2025 Q1 | 99,005 | 3,645 | +2 | -1,034 | -1,032 |
| 2024 Q4 | 100,183 | 3,499 | +2 | -597 | -595 |
| 2024 Q3 | 100,992 | 3,285 | +2 | -806 | -804 |
| 2024 Q2 | 101,807 | 3,274 | +1 | -947 | -946 |
| 2024 Q1 | 102,780 | 3,247 | +2 | -989 | -987 |
| 2023 Q4 | 103,935 | 3,079 | +6 | -562 | -556 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio 2 | Petrol | 18,020 | 24% |
| Rio 1 | Petrol | 9,585 | 13% |
| Rio Sr7 | Petrol | 6,218 | 8% |
| Rio 2 Isg | Petrol | 5,044 | 7% |
| Rio 2 Auto | Petrol | 4,401 | 6% |
| Rio Vr7 | Petrol | 3,543 | 5% |
| Rio 3 Isg | Petrol | 3,234 | 4% |
| Rio 1 Air | Petrol | 3,125 | 4% |
| Rio 2 Ecodynamics Crdi | Diesel | 3,036 | 4% |
| Rio 3 Ecodynamics Crdi | Diesel | 2,312 | 3% |
| Rio 3 | Petrol | 2,079 | 3% |
| Rio 3 Ecodynamics | Petrol | 2,078 | 3% |
| Rio 2 Ecodynamics | Petrol | 1,824 | 2% |
| Rio 2 Crdi | Diesel | 1,590 | 2% |
| Rio 1 Isg | Petrol | 1,585 | 2% |
| Rio 3 Auto | Petrol | 1,574 | 2% |
| Rio Strike | Petrol | 1,422 | 2% |
| Rio Gt-Line S Mhev | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 1,405 | 2% |
| Rio 1 Air Ecodynamics Crdi | Diesel | 1,301 | 2% |
| Rio 3 Mhev | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 1,183 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 97% | wiper blade defective, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2021 | 92.2% | a tyre seriously damaged, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2020 | 87.6% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2019 | 85.8% | wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, a tyre seriously damaged |
17 earlier years
| 2018 | 85.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2017 | 84.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2016 | 81.2% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2015 | 80.2% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2014 | 74% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2013 | 70.8% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2012 | 69.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2011 | 66.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2010 | 66.7% | a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2009 | 65.4% | a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2008 | 62% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2007 | 62.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2006 | 61.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2005 | 62.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2004 | 60.8% | 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, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2003 | 59.2% | 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, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2002 | 63.2% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
Typical mileage
Half of all Rios tested had between 17,643 and 41,909 miles on the clock. Relatively low mileage overall. Many are still fairly young.
At 25,817 median miles, the Rio has 0.098 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Kia models
| Kia Sportage | 81% |
| Kia Picanto | 76.9% |
| Kia Ceed | 73.9% |
| Kia Venga | 77.2% |
| Kia Sorento | 76.8% |
Common questions
What is the Kia Rio MOT pass rate?
The Kia Rio has a 74.7% MOT pass rate based on 154,264 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Kia Rio?
The most common MOT failure on the Kia Rio is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 5,359 failures. Other common issues include a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
How many Kia Rios are on UK roads?
There are 96,772 Kia Rios currently licensed on UK roads, with 3,739 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Kia Rio at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Kia Rio is 25,817 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 17,643 and 41,909 miles.
Buying a used Rio?
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 74.7% pass rate and an average repair bill of £91 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.