Kia Niro common problems by mileage
What UK MOT testers flag on the Kia Niro at each age and mileage, compared with all cars.
In 52,115 UK MOT tests of the Kia Niro in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively): recorded on 4% of tests of 2017–2019 cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km), 2× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: registration plate lamp(s) (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps) (2.1×); tyres (worn close to legal limit/worn on edge) (1.6×). The most common reasons a Kia Niro fails its MOT are wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively); tyres (ply or cords exposed); tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm).
Last updated: · Source: DVSA anonymised MOT data 2023
What stands out on the Kia Niro
Parts that MOT testers flag clearly more often on the Kia Niro than on all cars of the same age at the same mileage (at least 1.5× the rate and 3% of tests).
| Issue | Type | First used | Mileage | Share of tests | All cars this age | Ratio | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | MOT fail | 2017–2019 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 4% | 2% | 2× | 5,354 |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | MOT fail | 2017–2019 | 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) | 4.5% | 2.1% | 2.1× | 648 |
| Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Advisory | 2021–2023 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 3.1% | 1.9% | 1.6× | 2,419 |
Kia Niro by mileage (2018–2020 cars)
The most-tested first-use years. For each mileage band: how many MOT tests, the most common item, and the item that stands out most against other cars.
| Mileage | Tests | Most common | Stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) | 9,897 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (8.4%) | — |
| 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 15,014 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (15%) | — |
| 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 6,274 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (16%) | Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.7%, 1.5×) |
| 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 2,488 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (14%) | — |
| 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 1,368 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (14%) | — |
| 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) | 950 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (11%) | Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (3.1%, 1.6×) |
| 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) | 642 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (12%) | Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.4%, 2×) |
| 140k–160k mi (225k–257k km) | 341 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (9.4%) | — |
Kia Niro by first-use year
| First used | Tests | Biggest stand-out issue |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,309 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge at 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) (1.7×) |
| 2017 | 4,542 | Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (2×) |
| 2018 | 7,356 | Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps at 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) (2.1×) |
| 2019 | 10,461 | Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps at 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) (2×) |
| 2020 | 19,397 | Nothing stands out |
| 2021 | 4,778 | Nothing stands out |
| 2022 | 4,158 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (1.6×) |
| 2023 | 114 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (1.6×) |
How these numbers are made
From the DVSA anonymised MOT data for 2023: every normal MOT test of a car in Great Britain, with its mileage and every advisory and failure item. For each first-use year (pooled with the years either side) and 20,000-mile band we count the share of tests where a part was recorded, and compare it with the same share for every car of that age at that mileage. A cell is shown only with 300 or more tests. Advisories are tester notes, not failures. Figures describe UK-market cars; engines and equipment can differ in other countries.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA anonymised MOT data, 2023).
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the Kia Niro?
In 52,115 UK MOT tests of the Kia Niro in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively): recorded on 4% of tests of 2017–2019 cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km), 2× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: registration plate lamp(s) (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps) (2.1×); tyres (worn close to legal limit/worn on edge) (1.6×). The most common reasons a Kia Niro fails its MOT are wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively); tyres (ply or cords exposed); tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm).
Why do Kia Niros fail the MOT?
Across 52,115 MOT tests in 2023, the most common failure items on the Kia Niro were wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) (3.1% of tests); tyres (ply or cords exposed) (2.2% of tests); tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm) (2.3% of tests).
At what mileage do Kia Niro problems start?
The clearest Kia Niro-specific issue, wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively), peaks against other cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) on 2017–2019 cars (4% of tests vs 2% for all cars that age).
Where does this Kia Niro data come from?
From the UK government's anonymised MOT test data (DVSA, 2023, Open Government Licence v3.0): 52,115 tests of the Kia Niro. VinSnap shows the same numbers for your own car's age and mileage in the app.