Kia Optima MOT pass rate: 81.6% (10,887 tests, 2025)

The Kia Optima passed 81.6% of its 10,887 MOT tests in 2025 — 4.1 points above the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 8 years old with 80,511 miles on the clock.

81.6%Pass rate (2025)

10,887MOT tests analysed

80,511 miMedian mileage at test

8 yrsMedian age at test

How the Optima compares

Kia Optima

81.6%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Kia average (all models)

79.8%

What fails most on the Kia Optima

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the Optima:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Brakes	1,423	36.1%
2	Tyres	963	24.4%
3	Suspension	449	11.4%
4	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	366	9.3%
5	Visibility	258	6.5%
6	Steering	231	5.9%

Pre-MOT checklist for Optima owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Replace smeared wiper blades and top up washer fluid — both are test items

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

Optima pass rate by registration year

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2012	1,910	64.7%	-6.6 pts	96,883
2014	1,725	73.4%	-2.5 pts	86,865
2015	1,799	78.5%	-0.3 pts	78,541
2016	3,724	84.8%	+3.4 pts	74,839
2017	9,729	83.7%	-0.3 pts	72,364
2018	7,955	86.0%	-0.3 pts	63,553
2019	4,902	84.7%	-3.7 pts	55,837

Check a specific Optima before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Kia models

SPORTAGE78.9% pass rate · 253,493 tests Picanto76.2% pass rate · 180,724 tests Ceed72.5% pass rate · 111,091 tests Rio75.4% pass rate · 95,713 tests Niro90.5% pass rate · 54,779 tests Venga77.7% pass rate · 46,179 tests Sorento73.0% pass rate · 30,615 tests Soul73.2% pass rate · 21,811 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Kia Optima?

In 2025, 81.6% of 10,887 first MOT tests on the Kia Optima were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the Optima fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is brakes (36.1% of its recorded defects), followed by tyres.

Is the Kia Optima reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 81.6% it performs above the national average at a median age of 8 years and 80,511 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.