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
| First-time pass rate | 55.8% |
| UK national average | 76.7% |
| Difference | -20.9 points |
| Tests analysed | 751 |
| Average mileage at test | 85,677 miles |
| Average year of manufacture | 2005 |
| Reliability rank | 1,992 of 2,005 models |
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. On a Kia Cerato bought as a 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 what damaged Kia Ceratos actually sold for at UK salvage auction.
Most common MOT failures on a Kia Cerato
- A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 3.8% of tests (14.07x the national rate for this defect)
- Warning device shows system malfunction, 3.2% of tests (10.24x the national rate for this defect)
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 8.4% of tests (10.14x the national rate for this defect)
- 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, 7.8% of tests (9.43x the national rate for this defect)
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 5.1% of tests (6.7x the national rate for this defect)
- Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 6% of tests (6.18x the national rate for this defect)
- A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 7.8% of tests (5.82x the national rate for this defect)
- Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 3.5% of tests (3.78x the national rate for this defect)
- A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 5.9% of tests (3.64x the national rate for this defect)
- The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 5% of tests (2.86x the national rate for this defect)
From 1,111 DVSA-tracked Kia Cerato tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.91% of these flagged Kia Cerato defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.
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
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