2015 Kia Optima MOT pass rate: 78.5% (1,799 tests)
Is the 2015 Optima getting worse?
Pass rate of 2015-registered cars across recent test years:
Scroll horizontally to read every trend column.
| Test year | Pass rate | Pass-rate bar |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 80.1% -0.5 vs same-age |
80.1% visual scale |
| 2024 | 79.3% +0.8 vs same-age |
79.3% visual scale |
| 2025 | 75.9% -1.1 vs same-age |
75.9% visual scale |
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 2015 Optima
Scroll horizontally to read every failure column.
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 301 | 34.6% |
| 2 | Tyres | 192 | 22.1% |
| 3 | Suspension | 103 | 11.8% |
| 4 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 96 | 11.0% |
| 5 | Steering | 71 | 8.2% |
| 6 | Visibility | 34 | 3.9% |
All Optima years compared
Scroll horizontally to compare every registration-year column.
| 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 (this page) | 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 |
- Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
FAQs
Is a 2015 Kia Optima reliable?
2015-registered examples passed 78.5% of their MOT tests (1,799 tests, 2023–2025), -0.3 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 11 years old with a median 78,541 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2015 Optima?
The median tested example shows 78,541 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.
Before you agree to the work
A fault or an advisory is a quote waiting to happen. These pages set out what a garage has to tell you, what a comparable written quote should include, and what you can do if the bill is not what you agreed.
- When a repair costs more than the car — what a comparable quote should include, plus any verified UK figures we have sourced.
- Estimates, quotes and extra work — what a price has to cover, and when a garage may charge more than it first said.
- What a diagnostic test costs — what the fee should include, and when it should come off the repair.
- Tools — when to buy and when to skip — how to choose a diagnostic tool, and when a garage visit is cheaper than owning one.
- Choosing a garage you can check — what to verify before you hand over the keys.
- Your rights after a car repair — what to do when the work is not right, and how to put it in writing.
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 the Open Government Licence v3.0.