Kia Soul MOT pass rate: 73.2% (21,811 tests, 2025)

The Kia Soul passed 73.2% of its 21,811 MOT tests in 2025 — 4.3 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 11 years old with 71,250 miles on the clock.

73.2%Pass rate (2025)

21,811MOT tests analysed

71,250 miMedian mileage at test

11 yrsMedian age at test

How the Soul compares

Kia Soul

73.2%

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 Soul

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

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Brakes	3,897	27.2%
2	Suspension	2,535	17.7%
3	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	2,203	15.4%
4	Steering	2,022	14.1%
5	Tyres	1,821	12.7%
6	Visibility	986	6.9%

Pre-MOT checklist for Soul 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
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
With the engine running, turn lock to lock: knocks or stiff spots are testable defects
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory

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

Soul pass rate by registration year

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2009	6,221	61.5%	-4.9 pts	95,958
2010	8,538	63.8%	-3.5 pts	91,070
2011	9,831	64.2%	-4.9 pts	85,877
2012	4,752	65.4%	-5.8 pts	74,989
2013	3,845	68.2%	-5.1 pts	67,196
2014	7,775	79.1%	+3.3 pts	63,228
2015	7,683	82.7%	+4.0 pts	57,752
2016	6,303	84.8%	+3.4 pts	49,195
2017	4,990	87.7%	+3.7 pts	40,628
2018	5,786	89.7%	+3.3 pts	33,945

Check a specific Soul 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 Stonic89.1% pass rate · 18,986 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Kia Soul?

In 2025, 73.2% of 21,811 first MOT tests on the Kia Soul were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the Soul fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is brakes (27.2% of its recorded defects), followed by suspension.

Is the Kia Soul reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 73.2% it performs below the national average at a median age of 11 years and 71,250 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.