MOT performance
Kia Soul petrol: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 14,678 MOT tests on petrol Kia Souls in 2023–2024 (on average 9.3 years old at test, median 56,278 miles), 71.0% passed first time, against 68.5% of 29,258 diesel Kia Soul tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, petrol Kia Souls failed about as often as comparable cars — 1.00× against 1.04× for the Kia Soul as a whole.
14,678 MOT tests on 7,346 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
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| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 71.0% | ±0.7 pts (95%), n = 14,678 |
| All Kia Souls | 71.1% | n = 48,662 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 1.00× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Kia Soul overall 1.04× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 7.6% | n = 14,678 |
| Average age at test | 9.3 years | n = 14,678 |
| Registration years covered | 2009–2022 | DVSA first-use date |
Petrol against the other Kia Soul fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel).
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 29,258 | 10 yrs | 68.5% | +8% | 9.5% |
| Petrol | 14,678 | 9.3 yrs | 71.0% | Same | 7.6% |
| Electric | 4,726 | 3.7 yrs | 87.5% | -19% | 4.0% |
Where petrol Kia Souls differ
- Body, chassis and structure: petrol Kia Souls failed 60% more often than the Kia Soul overall, relative to comparable cars (0.76× vs 0.48×).
- Noise, emissions and leaks: petrol Kia Souls failed 28% more often than the Kia Soul overall, relative to comparable cars (0.66× vs 0.51×).
| Area | Petrol (vs similar) | All Kia Souls (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 10.0% (-12%) | 9.2% (-10%) |
| Brakes | 8.4% (+36%) | 8.9% (+45%) |
| Steering | 7.4% (+318%) | 7.9% (+336%) |
| Suspension | 5.8% (-36%) | 6.7% (-24%) |
| Tyres | 5.6% (-11%) | 6.2% (-5%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 5.5% (+14%) | 5.0% (+17%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 2.3% (-24%) | 1.4% (-52%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.0% (-34%) | 1.3% (-49%) |
Most common petrol Kia Soul failure items
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play | Steering | 6.23% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 3.58% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Driver's view of the road | 2.69% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 2.33% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 2.32% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | petrol pass rate (tests) | diesel pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 86.1% (1,030) | 89.2% (618) |
| 5-6 | 85.6% (2,747) | 85.9% (2,996) |
| 7-8 | 81.8% (2,557) | 81.8% (6,352) |
| 9-10 | 70.0% (2,379) | 69.9% (5,266) |
| 11-12 | 59.3% (2,361) | 58.8% (7,289) |
| 13-15 | 56.2% (3,603) | 55.5% (6,737) |
Kia Soul by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2009 Kia Soul · 54.5%
- 2010 Kia Soul · 56.9%
- 2011 Kia Soul · 58.0%
- 2012 Kia Soul · 60.9%
- 2013 Kia Soul · 63.4%
- 2014 Kia Soul · 75.9%
- 2015 Kia Soul · 80.7%
- 2016 Kia Soul · 83.0%
- 2017 Kia Soul · 84.1%
- 2018 Kia Soul · 86.0%
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 petrol Kia Soul
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.