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MOT statistics · 2023 tests

Kia Optima MOT pass rate, common failures and mileage

In 2023, 82.5% of 11,585 MOT tests on the Kia Optima ended in a pass, 6.0 points above the 76.5% average for all cars. Comparing like for like at ages 3 to 10, it passed 80.5% against 82.0%.

Pass rate
82.5%
All cars 76.5%
Tests
11,585
Initial MOTs in 2023
Ages 3 to 10
80.5%
All cars 82.0%
Mileage at 10
89k
Median; middle half 69k to 115k

Pass rate and mileage by age

Each row covers the Kia Optima MOT tests at that age. Mileage shows the median and the middle half of odometer readings, from the 25th to the 75th percentile.

AgePass rateMileage
31,121 tests
87.0%
41,000 · 31k to 59k
42,260 tests
85.0%
49,000 · 37k to 67k
52,879 tests
85.4%
59,000 · 45k to 79k
62,424 tests
83.0%
65,000 · 49k to 83k
7847 tests
85.0%
69,000 · 51k to 89k
8597 tests
73.9%
75,000 · 59k to 97k
9422 tests
73.0%
85,000 · 65k to 105k
10540 tests
69.1%
89,000 · 69k to 115k
11401 tests
64.3%
97,000 · 73k to 119k
Optima pass rateAll cars at that ageMiddle half of mileages

Most common MOT failures and advisories

How often each item came up, per 100 MOT tests on the Kia Optima. Advisories are things the tester noted that did not fail the car, often wear that will need attention soon. Follow an item to see what it means and how serious it is.

Failures

Brake pads
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
3.5in 100 tests
Tyre tread
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
2.4in 100 tests
Wiper blades
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
2.3in 100 tests
Tyres
A tyre cords visible or damaged
1.6in 100 tests
Tyres
A tyre seriously damaged
1.6in 100 tests
Track rod ends
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
1.0in 100 tests
Headlight aim
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
0.9in 100 tests
Brake performance
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
0.7in 100 tests

Advisories and minor defects

Brake pads
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
12.3in 100 tests
Brake discs
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
8.4in 100 tests
Brake discs
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
3.2in 100 tests
Tyre tread
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
2.6in 100 tests
Windscreen
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view (minor defect)
2.1in 100 tests
Number plates
Number plate inscription missing or illegible
2.0in 100 tests
Brake performance
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
1.6in 100 tests
Brake pipes
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
1.6in 100 tests

What to check on a used Optima

The parts that come up most often in Kia Optima MOTs, and how to look at them on a viewing.

  1. Brake discs and pads
    Ask when the discs and pads were last replaced, and look through the wheel for a raised lip on the edge of the disc.
  2. Tyres
    Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts and bulges in the sidewalls.
  3. Wipers, washers and windscreen
    Run the wipers and washers, and look for chips or cracks in the windscreen, above all in front of the driver.
  4. Number plates
    Check the plates are clean, legal and match the registration on the V5C logbook.
  5. Braking
    On the test drive, brake firmly on a straight road: the car should stop straight without pulling, and the handbrake should hold it on a slope.

Check a specific Optima

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

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Questions

What is the MOT pass rate of the Kia Optima?
In 2023, 82.5% of 11,585 initial MOT tests on the Kia Optima ended in a pass, against 76.5% for all cars and light vans. At ages 3 to 10, with the same age mix as all cars, it was 80.5% against 82.0%.
What fails most often on a Kia Optima MOT?
The most common failures were brake pads (3.5 in 100 tests), tyre tread (2.4 in 100 tests), wiper blades (2.3 in 100 tests).
What is a normal mileage for a 10-year-old Kia Optima?
At 10 years old, the median Kia Optima at its MOT had covered 89,000 miles, and the middle half had between 69,000 and 115,000 miles.
What do MOT testers most often advise on a Kia Optima?
The most common advisories were brake pads (12.3 in 100 tests), brake discs (8.4 in 100 tests), brake discs (3.2 in 100 tests).

Other Kia models

Overall MOT pass rate in 2023. Compare all Kia models or see every make.

Sportage81.2%Picanto76.9%Ceed73.4%Rio75.3%Niro91.5%Venga79.6%Sorento73.2%Soul76.4%Stonic91.9%Carens70.5%Optima82.5%Xceed91.3%Sedona61.0%

How these figures are made. We counted every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 from the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Pass rate is the share of initial tests that ended in a pass, counting faults fixed during the test. Age is whole years from first registration to the test, so a car having its first MOT a few weeks early counts as 2.

Like-for-like pass rates average each model's pass rate at ages 3 to 10 with the same age mix for every model, so a model is not flattered by a young fleet or penalised by an old one. Models are grouped by the first word of the DVSA model name, and names that cover several models are left out.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.