92,075 tests in 2025
Kia Rio reliability and MOT pass rate
75.9% passed first time. The 24.1% fail rate is 1.5 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 10 years old with 61,760 miles.
Pass rate
75.9%
22.6% of all cars failed; 24.1% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.7%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
61,760 mi
10 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 10,703 | 8.8% |
| 6-9 years | 25,230 | 15% |
| 10-13 years | 37,373 | 28% |
| 14+ years | 18,594 | 37.9% |
What the Rio fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension354 dangerous32.5%
- Brakes3,366 dangerous30.8%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment167 dangerous30%
- Tyres5,654 dangerous25.9%
- Visibility6 dangerous17.7%
- Steering163 dangerous16.1%
- Noise, emissions and leaks25 dangerous9.2%
- Body, chassis, structure69 dangerous7.7%
Is the Rio getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.2 points to 24.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 97,905 | 8 | 23.5% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 98,203 | 9 | 24.4% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 83,350 | 10 | 25.7% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 88,963 | 11 | 24.7% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Rio at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Rio in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play2,472 tests
- 2Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2,298 tests
- 3Position lamp: not working2,221 tests
- 4Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn2,151 tests
- 5Ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1,890 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,864 tests
- 7Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively1,742 tests
- 8Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements1,408 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Rio collects 2.69 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm15,270 tests
- 2Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9,850 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure9,627 tests
- 4Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick7,121 tests
- 5Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn5,443 tests
- 6Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened5,079 tests
- 7Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded3,962 tests
- 8Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine3,178 tests
Questions
What is the Kia Rio MOT pass rate?
75.9% of the 92,075 Kia Rio first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 24.1% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.7% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Kia Rio usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play", recorded on 2,472 failed tests, followed by "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm" and "Position lamp: not working". By section, suspension appears in 32.5% of failures, brakes appears in 30.8% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 30% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 8.8%; at 14+ years it was 37.9%. The median Kia Rio tested in 2025 was 10 years old with 61,760 miles.
Is the Kia Rio getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.2 points to 24.7% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 3 years. Ageing alone would predict about 8 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Rio trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 3 safety recalls naming the Kia Rio: Kia Rio recalls.
Other Kia models
Checking a particular Rio?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.