MOT performance
Kia Rio diesel: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 40,938 MOT tests on diesel Kia Rios in 2023–2024 (on average 10.4 years old at test, median 82,076 miles), 60.1% passed first time, against 71.9% of 154,572 petrol Kia Rio tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, diesel Kia Rios failed 25% more often than comparable cars — 1.25× against 1.10× for the Kia Rio as a whole.
40,938 MOT tests on 20,866 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 | 60.1% | ±0.5 pts (95%), n = 40,938 |
| All Kia Rios | 69.6% | n = 197,177 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.25× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Kia Rio overall 1.10× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 11.8% | n = 40,938 |
| Average age at test | 10.4 years | n = 40,938 |
| Registration years covered | 2005–2021 | DVSA first-use date |
Diesel against the other Kia Rio fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel). The diesel cars were tested 1.7 years older on average than the petrol 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 154,572 | 8.7 yrs | 71.9% | +6% | 8.0% |
| Diesel | 40,938 | 10.4 yrs | 60.1% | +25% | 11.8% |
| Hybrid | 1,667 | 2.3 yrs | 91.1% | -3% | 3.4% |
Where diesel Kia Rios differ
- Noise, emissions and leaks: diesel Kia Rios failed 94% more often than the Kia Rio overall, relative to comparable cars (1.59× vs 0.82×).
| Area | Diesel (vs similar) | All Kia Rios (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 14.9% (+23%) | 10.8% (+5%) |
| Suspension | 12.6% (+15%) | 8.1% (-3%) |
| Brakes | 11.7% (+51%) | 8.0% (+34%) |
| Tyres | 9.0% (+27%) | 7.0% (+12%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 7.0% (+53%) | 6.4% (+41%) |
| Steering | 6.4% (+166%) | 4.2% (+145%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.7% (+59%) | 2.2% (-18%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 3.0% (-22%) | 1.9% (-31%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.9% (+81%) | 1.2% (+71%) |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.5% (+31%) | 0.3% (+12%) |
| Road wheels | 0.3% (-30%) | 0.2% (-36%) |
Most common diesel Kia Rio failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | Steering | 4.89% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 4.49% |
| Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 3.95% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 3.85% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Driver's view of the road | 2.96% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | diesel pass rate (tests) | petrol pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | — | 86.7% (16,772) |
| 5-6 | 79.9% (3,632) | 84.1% (23,495) |
| 7-8 | 70.5% (7,815) | 77.9% (32,187) |
| 9-10 | 59.5% (10,452) | 67.5% (30,751) |
| 11-12 | 54.1% (8,656) | 59.7% (23,409) |
| 13-15 | 51.3% (7,730) | 55.4% (18,613) |
| 16+ | 47.7% (2,510) | 50.7% (4,793) |
Kia Rio by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2006 Kia Rio · 50.7%
- 2007 Kia Rio · 50.3%
- 2008 Kia Rio · 50.4%
- 2009 Kia Rio · 55.1%
- 2010 Kia Rio · 55.8%
- 2011 Kia Rio · 55.6%
- 2012 Kia Rio · 60.0%
- 2013 Kia Rio · 62.1%
- 2014 Kia Rio · 67.9%
- 2015 Kia Rio · 76.6%
- 2016 Kia Rio · 78.6%
- 2017 Kia Rio · 83.1%
- 2018 Kia Rio · 84.8%
- 2019 Kia Rio · 86.2%
- 2020 Kia Rio · 88.9%
- 2021 Kia Rio · 91.9%
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 diesel Kia Rio
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.