MOT performance
Kia Niro electric: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 30,846 MOT tests on electric Kia Niros in 2023–2024 (on average 2.5 years old at test, median 33,902 miles), 88.1% passed first time, against 87.3% of 82,399 hybrid Kia Niro tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, electric Kia Niros failed 18% less often than comparable cars — 0.82× against 0.97× for the Kia Niro as a whole.
30,846 MOT tests on 19,735 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 88.1% | ±0.4 pts (95%), n = 30,846 |
| All Kia Niros | 87.6% | n = 115,269 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 0.82× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Kia Niro overall 0.97× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 5.2% | n = 30,846 |
| Average age at test | 2.5 years | n = 30,846 |
| Registration years covered | 2018–2022 | DVSA first-use date |
Electric against the other Kia Niro fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel). The electric cars were tested 1.3 years younger on average than the hybrid ones, so the raw pass rates partly reflect age; the adjusted column doesn't.
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 82,399 | 3.8 yrs | 87.3% | +4% | 4.5% |
| Electric | 30,846 | 2.5 yrs | 88.1% | -18% | 5.2% |
Where electric Kia Niros differ
- Brakes: electric Kia Niros failed 29% less often than the Kia Niro overall, relative to comparable cars (0.75× vs 1.06×).
| Area | Electric (vs similar) | All Kia Niros (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 7.0% (-18%) | 6.1% (+2%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 2.6% (+13%) | 3.2% (+12%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 2.3% (-19%) | 2.6% (-13%) |
| Brakes | 0.6% (-25%) | 1.2% (+6%) |
Most common electric Kia Niro failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Condition: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 2.51% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 2.26% |
| Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 2.14% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Driver's view of the road | 2.09% |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 0.49% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | electric pass rate (tests) | hybrid pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 87.5% (13,684) | 87.8% (38,671) |
| 5-6 | 83.4% (223) | 85.4% (21,454) |
| 7-8 | — | 83.4% (3,531) |
Kia Niro by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2016 Kia Niro · 84.5%
- 2017 Kia Niro · 84.3%
- 2018 Kia Niro · 85.9%
- 2019 Kia Niro · 86.5%
- 2020 Kia Niro · 88.8%
- 2021 Kia Niro · 88.9%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific electric Kia Niro
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.