Kia Sportage common problems by mileage
What UK MOT testers flag on the Kia Sportage at each age and mileage, compared with all cars.
In 254,765 UK MOT tests of the Kia Sportage in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is track rod end (ball joint has slight play): recorded on 3.8% of tests of 2020–2022 cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km), 38× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: rbt (sp) (efficiency below requirements) (5.3×); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) (5.1×); ball joint (ball joint excessively worn) (3.8×). The most common reasons a Kia Sportage fails its MOT are tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively).
Last updated: · Source: DVSA anonymised MOT data 2023
What stands out on the Kia Sportage
Parts that MOT testers flag clearly more often on the Kia Sportage 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Track rod end: ball joint has slight play | Advisory | 2020–2022 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 3.8% | 0.1% | 38× | 1,443 |
| Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements | MOT fail | 2015–2017 | 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) | 3.7% | 0.7% | 5.3× | 2,528 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | MOT fail | 2021–2023 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 4.1% | 0.8% | 5.1× | 855 |
| Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn | MOT fail | 2012–2014 | 160k+ mi (257k+ km) | 9.2% | 2.4% | 3.8× | 534 |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | MOT fail | 2015–2017 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 4.3% | 2.1% | 2× | 37,462 |
| Tyres (tread depth): tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | MOT fail | 2018–2020 | 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 3.1% | 1.6% | 1.9× | 45,561 |
| Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Advisory | 2007–2009 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 18% | 5.7% | 3.2× | 353 |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Advisory | 2015–2017 | 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 17% | 9.8% | 1.7× | 37,462 |
Kia Sportage by mileage (2017–2019 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) | 10,147 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (11%) | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (11%, 1.8×) |
| 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) | 45,862 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (15%) | Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.8%, 1.7×) |
| 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) | 33,242 | Brake pads: wearing thin (19%) | Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick (4.6%, 1.9×) |
| 60k–80k mi (97k–129k km) | 10,738 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (19%) | Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick (5.4%, 2.1×) |
| 80k–100k mi (129k–161k km) | 2,576 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (20%) | Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick (5.5%, 2×) |
| 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) | 678 | Tyres (tread depth): worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (21%) | Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick (6.8%, 2.6×) |
Kia Sportage by first-use year
| First used | Tests | Biggest stand-out issue |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1,542 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 140k–160k mi (225k–257k km) (3.5×) |
| 2006 | 1,442 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 140k–160k mi (225k–257k km) (3.2×) |
| 2007 | 1,661 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 140k–160k mi (225k–257k km) (2.8×) |
| 2008 | 1,767 | Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (3.2×) |
| 2009 | 2,655 | Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (2.6×) |
| 2010 | 4,467 | Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement at 20k–40k mi (32k–64k km) (2.7×) |
| 2011 | 7,837 | Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements at 140k–160k mi (225k–257k km) (3×) |
| 2012 | 12,874 | Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements at 140k–160k mi (225k–257k km) (3.6×) |
| 2013 | 18,167 | Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn at 160k+ mi (257k+ km) (3.8×) |
| 2014 | 19,199 | Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements at 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) (3.8×) |
| 2015 | 21,031 | Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements at 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) (4.6×) |
| 2016 | 37,152 | Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements at 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) (5.3×) |
| 2017 | 36,498 | Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick at 120k–140k mi (193k–225k km) (2.9×) |
| 2018 | 33,698 | Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick at 100k–120k mi (161k–193k km) (2.6×) |
| 2019 | 33,304 | Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (2.3×) |
| 2020 | 19,463 | Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively at 0k–20k mi (0k–32k km) (2.6×) |
| 2021 | 1,780 | Track rod end: ball joint has slight play at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) (38×) |
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 Sportage?
In 254,765 UK MOT tests of the Kia Sportage in 2023, the problem that most sets it apart from other cars is track rod end (ball joint has slight play): recorded on 3.8% of tests of 2020–2022 cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km), 38× the rate for all cars of that age and mileage. Other stand-out issues: rbt (sp) (efficiency below requirements) (5.3×); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) (5.1×); ball joint (ball joint excessively worn) (3.8×). The most common reasons a Kia Sportage fails its MOT are tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively).
Why do Kia Sportages fail the MOT?
Across 254,765 MOT tests in 2023, the most common failure items on the Kia Sportage were tyres (tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm) (3.5% of tests); brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) (3.9% of tests); wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) (3.6% of tests).
At what mileage do Kia Sportage problems start?
The clearest Kia Sportage-specific issue, track rod end (ball joint has slight play), peaks against other cars at 40k–60k mi (64k–97k km) on 2020–2022 cars (3.8% of tests vs 0.1% for all cars that age).
Where does this Kia Sportage data come from?
From the UK government's anonymised MOT test data (DVSA, 2023, Open Government Licence v3.0): 254,765 tests of the Kia Sportage. VinSnap shows the same numbers for your own car's age and mileage in the app.