Kia Cerato: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Kia Cerato fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 20.9 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 751 individual Kia Cerato tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 55.8% first-time pass rate means roughly 44 in every 100 Kia Ceratos presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Kia Cerato tested had covered 85,677 miles and was built around 2005.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Kia Cerato sits 20.9 points below the national average, ranked 1,992 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Kia Cerato rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Kia Ceratos at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Kia Cerato

1. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 4.5% of tests (12.96x the national rate for this defect)
2. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 10.4% of tests (11x the national rate for this defect)
3. Warning device shows system malfunction, 3.9% of tests (9.33x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 9.6% of tests (8.97x the national rate for this defect)
5. Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle., 3.6% of tests (6.88x the national rate for this defect)
6. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 6.5% of tests (6.29x the national rate for this defect)
7. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 10.3% of tests (5.57x the national rate for this defect)
8. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 6.9% of tests (5.32x the national rate for this defect)
9. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 7.5% of tests (3.35x the national rate for this defect)
10. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 4% of tests (3.13x the national rate for this defect)

From 751 DVSA-tracked Kia Cerato tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.85% of these flagged Kia Cerato defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Kia Cerato

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Kia Cerato before it actually fails on it.

1. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 8.3% of tests (7.46x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 43.9% of tests (7.1x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 9.6% of tests (6.32x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 7.2% of tests (5.78x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 12.6% of tests (4.77x the national rate for this advisory)
6. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 24.4% of tests (4.71x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 7.6% of tests (3.8x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 31.3% of tests (2.34x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 6% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this advisory)
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 21% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this advisory)

From 751 DVSA-tracked Kia Cerato tests, 2024.

Kia Cerato pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Kia Cerato year:

• 2005 Kia Cerato - 57.7% first-time pass, 319 tests
• 2006 Kia Cerato - 57.2% first-time pass, 297 tests

Other Kia models

• Kia Sportage - 79.4%
• Kia Picanto - 75.7%
• Kia Ceed - 71.6%
• Kia Rio - 74.3%
• Kia Niro - 90.3%
• Kia Venga - 78.4%
• Kia Sorento - 72.6%
• Kia Soul - 73.7%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Chevrolet Aveo - 56.6%
• Chevrolet Lacetti - 56.2%
• Renault Espace - 56.2%
• Ford Freda - 55.5%
• Proton Savvy - 55.5%
• Fiat Multipla - 55.4%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

Run a site about the Kia Cerato? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/kia-cerato"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/kia-cerato.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="Kia Cerato MOT Pass Rate: 55.8% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

Run a garage or parts site? Embed the Kia Cerato's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/kia-cerato"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/kia-cerato.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Kia Cerato most common MOT failure: A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded (4.5% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate