Kia RIO MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 89,350 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 68.1% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 86.5% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 51.7% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Kia RIO?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 7,792 | 86.5% |
| 6–9 years | 30,798 | 79% |
| 10–14 years | 41,138 | 60.3% |
| 15–30 years | 9,622 | 51.7% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Kia RIO to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Suspension Arms — 5.3% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Brake Performance — 4.5% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Steering Linkage Components — 4.3% of tests. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
- Condition — 3.8% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Position Lamps — 3.7% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Mechanical Brake Components — 3.6% of tests. Worn discs, pads or callipers. Routine wear, but it should be priced into the deal.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Kia RIO are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 97,333 licensed and 4,452 SORN vehicles in the Kia RIO generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Kia RIO
Before you buy
- Suspension Arms — 5.3% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Brake Performance — 4.5% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
- Steering Linkage Components — 4.3% of tests in 2024. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
- Condition — 3.8% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Check the actual RIO — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Kia models
- Kia Sportage — 75.9% pass
- Kia Picanto — 71.1% pass
- Kia Ceed — 65.8% pass
- Kia Venga — 71.7% pass
- Kia Niro — 87% pass
- Kia Sorento — 69.2% pass
See every Kia model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Kia RIO MOT pass rate?
68.1% of 89,350 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Kia RIO passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the RIO fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are suspension arms (5.3% of tests), brake performance (4.5% of tests), steering linkage components (4.3% of tests), condition (3.8% of tests).
How many Kia RIO are left in the UK?
97,333 were licensed and 4,452 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular RIO is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.