2021 Kia Niro MOT pass rate: 91.9% (21,180 tests)
Is the 2021 Niro getting worse?
Pass rate of 2021-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 91.6% +1.0 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 92.1% +1.9 vs same-age |
The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.
What fails on a 2021 Niro
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 1,634 | 58.6% |
| 2 | Visibility | 445 | 16.0% |
| 3 | Brakes | 325 | 11.7% |
| 4 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 212 | 7.6% |
| 5 | Noise, emissions and leaks | 39 | 1.4% |
| 6 | Suspension | 37 | 1.3% |
All Niro years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3,834 | 87.3% | +5.9 pts | 59,266 |
| 2017 | 13,431 | 87.3% | +3.3 pts | 56,754 |
| 2018 | 21,898 | 90.1% | +3.8 pts | 56,338 |
| 2019 | 31,014 | 90.6% | +2.2 pts | 43,773 |
| 2020 | 38,091 | 91.7% | +1.8 pts | 30,621 |
| 2021 (this page) | 21,180 | 91.9% | +1.5 pts | 28,164 |
| 2022 | 7,095 | 92.0% | +0.7 pts | 25,204 |
Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Kia Niro years to avoid.
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FAQs
Is a 2021 Kia Niro reliable?
2021-registered examples passed 91.9% of their MOT tests (21,180 tests, 2023–2025), +1.5 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 5 years old with a median 28,164 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2021 Niro?
The median tested example shows 28,164 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.