Hybrid Kia Optima: MOT pass rate
89.4% of hybrid Kia Optimas pass the MOT first time, measured across 870 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 82,264.
Hybrid against the other Kia Optima versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 81.6% | 10,322 |
| Hybrid | 89.4% | 870 |
| All Kia Optima | 82.2% | 11,284 |
Why the fuel type changes the number
Hybrids sidestep most emissions failures and tend to do lighter urban miles, though the extra weight tells on tyres and brakes.
On the Kia Optima specifically, hybrid is the strongest at 89.4%, and this hybrid version sits 7.2 points above the 82.2% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The hybrid Kia Optima is the stronger side of this model on MOT data. Still judge the individual car, but the fuel type is a mild point in its favour. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average hybrid Kia Optima had covered 82,264 miles at test, against 77,762 for the diesel. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.
Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Kia Optima page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Most common MOT failures on a hybrid Kia Optima
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.2% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged, 1.8% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.6% of tests
- A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.4% of tests
- Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 1.4% of tests
- Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.7% of tests
- Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative, 0.7% of tests (19.44x the national rate for this defect)
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 0.7% of tests
- Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 0.7% of tests
- Service brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 0.7% of tests (3.21x the national rate for this defect)
From 876 DVSA-tracked hybrid Kia Optima tests, 2024, split out from the Kia Optima's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 6.7% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.
Most common MOT advisories on a hybrid Kia Optima
Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.9% of tests (1.43x the national rate for this defect), also fails
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 34.4% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect), also fails
- A tyre seriously damaged, 9.6% of tests, also fails
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 8.6% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 7.4% of tests, also fails
- Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 2.6% of tests
- Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.1% of tests, also fails
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.8% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 0.7% of tests
- Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 0.7% of tests
From 876 DVSA-tracked hybrid Kia Optima tests, 2024.
Other Kia Optima fuel types
- Diesel Kia Optima - 81.6%