How reliable is the Kia Sportage?
DVSA recorded 785,093 MOT tests on the Kia Sportage (2005 to 2023 cars) in 2023 to 2025. 76.5% of them were a pass, against 71.7% for every car tested. Once age is allowed for, the Sportage is about average: within 0.6 points of a typical car tested at the same age. The cleanest measure of build quality is the first test at three years old, where the Sportage scores 86.1% against 87.9% for all cars. When a Sportage does fail, tyre tread below the legal minimum is the item recorded most often.
The Sportage's weak points
Of every hundred Sportages that fail, about 15 are marked down for tyre tread below the legal minimum and 14 for brake pads worn below 1.5mm. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
Tyres are an easy failure to avoid. Check the tread and look for cuts and bulges the week before the test, not on the forecourt.
What testers flag before it fails
These are the advisories most often recorded on a Kia Sportage: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 17.4% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. The advisory conversion table shows which of these are worth acting on first.
Petrol, diesel or hybrid Sportage?
The hybrid Sportage has the better record at 86.9%; the diesel manages 73.2%. 13.7 points is a real difference. Allow for the hybrid fleet being younger.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 73.2% | 431,613 |
| Petrol | 79.9% | 323,749 |
| Hybrid | 86.9% | 29,127 |
Every Sportage year, 2005 to 2023
Between 2005 (50%) and 2023 (93.5%) the pass rate moves mostly with age. Among years with a decent sample, 2022 is the strongest at 88.9% and 2009 the weakest at 53.8%.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Sportage 2023 | 93.5% | 1,150 | 14,003 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2022 | 88.9% | 20,353 | 9,323 | 88.8% |
| Kia Sportage 2021 | 85.2% | 43,228 | 8,520 | 84.9% |
| Kia Sportage 2020 | 84.1% | 44,292 | 7,695 | 84.4% |
| Kia Sportage 2019 | 83.9% | 95,977 | 7,820 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2018 | 82.9% | 99,244 | 8,084 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2017 | 80.5% | 107,974 | 8,394 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2016 | 77.6% | 109,267 | 8,345 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2015 | 72.9% | 61,756 | 8,186 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2014 | 71.1% | 56,273 | 8,221 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2013 | 63.1% | 52,655 | 8,192 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2012 | 61% | 37,176 | 8,196 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2011 | 60.7% | 22,193 | 8,114 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2010 | 58% | 12,044 | 7,298 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2009 | 53.8% | 6,664 | 6,819 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2008 | 54.6% | 4,283 | 6,665 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2007 | 50.3% | 3,833 | 6,439 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2006 | 49.6% | 3,261 | 6,342 | – |
| Kia Sportage 2005 | 50% | 3,470 | 5,912 | – |
How mileage changes the Sportage's odds
Take the 2016 Sportage, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 86.3% of the time, and that falls to 68.4% over 100,000. A 18-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2016 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.3% | 11,862 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.1% | 33,938 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 76.5% | 36,084 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 72.2% | 18,523 |
| Over 100,000 | 68.4% | 8,858 |
Compared with other cars
The average Kia passes 74.4% of tests, so the Sportage is one of the stronger cars in the range. Within the family, see Ceed common problems (67.1%), Kia Niro reliability (87.9%), the Soul (70.6%) and Optima common problems (79.4%), or other Kia models. For a cross-make comparison, the Toyota Aygo and Ford Kuga have similar test volumes and their own pages. The reliability index for all makes and models puts them side by side, and the UK pass rates by age and fuel give the baseline.
Year by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Kia Sportage 2023 93.5% pass 1,150 tests
On a 2023 Kia Sportage, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 44% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 20%.
2023 cars pass 93.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 83.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 93.6% | 975 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 94.3% | 122 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 94.6% | 37 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 70% | 10 |
| Over 100,000 | 83.3% | 6 |
Kia Sportage 2022 88.9% pass 20,353 tests88.8% at first MOT
On a 2022 Kia Sportage, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 32.2% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 16.8%.
2022 cars pass 89.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 90% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 89.6% | 17,809 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 83.6% | 2,069 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 82.4% | 346 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 92.1% | 89 |
| Over 100,000 | 90% | 40 |
By fuel: hybrid 89.5% (11,997 tests), petrol 88% (8,112 tests).
Kia Sportage 2021 85.2% pass 43,228 tests84.9% at first MOT
On a 2021 Kia Sportage, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 32.8% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 13.1%.
2021 cars pass 86% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 79.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86% | 34,867 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82% | 7,148 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 80.3% | 1,047 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 86.6% | 127 |
| Over 100,000 | 79.5% | 39 |
By fuel: petrol 85.1% (35,679 tests), hybrid 85.7% (7,349 tests).
Kia Sportage 2020 84.1% pass 44,292 tests84.4% at first MOT
On a 2020 Kia Sportage, wipers not clearing the screen appears on 24.5% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 17.6%.
2020 cars pass 85.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 83.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 85.2% | 34,301 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 80.6% | 8,107 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 78.7% | 1,543 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 76.4% | 258 |
| Over 100,000 | 83.1% | 83 |
By fuel: petrol 84.3% (35,821 tests), hybrid 83.6% (6,720 tests), diesel 80.9% (1,746 tests).
Kia Sportage 2019 83.9% pass 95,977 tests
On a 2019 Kia Sportage, tyre tread below the legal minimum appears on 17.9% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 17.6%.
2019 cars pass 86% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 74.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86% | 55,972 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.6% | 29,212 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.8% | 8,244 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 81% | 1,915 |
| Over 100,000 | 74.1% | 634 |
By fuel: petrol 84.1% (64,810 tests), diesel 83.6% (29,131 tests), hybrid 83.5% (2,033 tests).
Kia Sportage 2018 82.9% pass 99,244 tests
On a 2018 Kia Sportage, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 21.8% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 18.5%.
2018 cars pass 86.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 73.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.5% | 36,401 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.2% | 39,240 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 79.6% | 17,015 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 76.2% | 4,757 |
| Over 100,000 | 73.5% | 1,829 |
By fuel: petrol 83.1% (56,386 tests), diesel 82.7% (42,854 tests).
Kia Sportage 2017 80.5% pass 107,974 tests
On a 2017 Kia Sportage, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 22.1% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 16.7%.
2017 cars pass 86.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 70.8% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.8% | 20,745 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 82.5% | 41,094 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 77.3% | 29,570 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 74.2% | 11,728 |
| Over 100,000 | 70.8% | 4,834 |
By fuel: diesel 80.4% (66,650 tests), petrol 80.6% (41,322 tests).
Kia Sportage 2016 77.6% pass 109,267 tests
On a 2016 Kia Sportage, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 17.9% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 15.2%.
2016 cars pass 86.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 68.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.3% | 11,862 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 81.1% | 33,938 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 76.5% | 36,084 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 72.2% | 18,523 |
| Over 100,000 | 68.4% | 8,858 |
By fuel: diesel 77.8% (77,727 tests), petrol 77.1% (31,540 tests).
Kia Sportage 2015 72.9% pass 61,756 tests
On a 2015 Kia Sportage, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 13% of failed tests, with a tyre pressure sensor not working next at 11.8%.
2015 cars pass 85.4% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 64.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 85.4% | 4,629 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 79.7% | 14,529 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 72.9% | 20,404 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67% | 13,559 |
| Over 100,000 | 64.3% | 8,632 |
By fuel: diesel 73.6% (48,974 tests), petrol 70.4% (12,782 tests).
Kia Sportage 2014 71.1% pass 56,273 tests
On a 2014 Kia Sportage, brake pads worn below 1.5mm appears on 12.6% of failed tests, with tyre tread below the legal minimum next at 12.2%.
2014 cars pass 86.7% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 62.2% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 86.7% | 2,560 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 80.6% | 8,942 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 73.6% | 16,843 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 67.8% | 15,079 |
| Over 100,000 | 62.2% | 12,843 |
By fuel: diesel 71.5% (46,970 tests), petrol 69.3% (9,303 tests).
Kia Sportage 2013 63.1% pass 52,655 tests
On a 2013 Kia Sportage, play in a track rod end appears on 13.1% of failed tests, with a broken coil spring next at 12.1%.
2013 cars pass 82.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 56.3% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 82.2% | 1,475 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 74.8% | 5,771 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 67.2% | 12,725 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 61.4% | 15,197 |
| Over 100,000 | 56.3% | 17,484 |
By fuel: diesel 63% (44,392 tests), petrol 63.8% (8,263 tests).
Kia Sportage 2012 61% pass 37,176 tests
On a 2012 Kia Sportage, a broken coil spring appears on 18.4% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 14.2%.
2012 cars pass 79.2% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 56.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 79.2% | 737 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 72% | 2,566 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 66.6% | 7,056 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 60.5% | 10,216 |
| Over 100,000 | 56.4% | 16,600 |
By fuel: diesel 60.6% (32,057 tests), petrol 63.2% (5,119 tests).
Kia Sportage 2011 60.7% pass 22,193 tests
On a 2011 Kia Sportage, a worn ball joint appears on 16.2% of failed tests, with parking brake efficiency below the limit next at 13.3%.
2011 cars pass 77% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 56.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77% | 387 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 71.8% | 1,099 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 68.4% | 3,072 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 61.3% | 5,509 |
| Over 100,000 | 56.9% | 12,121 |
By fuel: diesel 60.3% (18,274 tests), petrol 62.6% (3,919 tests).
Kia Sportage 2010 58% pass 12,044 tests
On a 2010 Kia Sportage, a worn ball joint appears on 14.4% of failed tests, with a sidelight not working next at 12.6%.
2010 cars pass 79.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 52.4% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 79.3% | 275 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 73.6% | 700 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 65.9% | 1,850 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 59% | 3,077 |
| Over 100,000 | 52.4% | 6,140 |
By fuel: diesel 58.5% (8,659 tests), petrol 56.5% (3,383 tests).
Kia Sportage 2009 53.8% pass 6,664 tests
On a 2009 Kia Sportage, a sidelight not working appears on 18.2% of failed tests, with a worn suspension bush next at 14.7%.
2009 cars pass 77.8% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 49.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 77.8% | 126 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.7% | 393 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 61.1% | 1,012 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 52.8% | 1,798 |
| Over 100,000 | 49.5% | 3,334 |
By fuel: diesel 54.4% (4,529 tests), petrol 52.6% (2,129 tests).
Kia Sportage 2008 54.6% pass 4,283 tests
On a 2008 Kia Sportage, a sidelight not working appears on 18.6% of failed tests, with a worn suspension bush next at 13.8%.
2008 cars pass 72.6% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 50.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 72.6% | 84 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.9% | 225 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 60.4% | 550 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 56.3% | 999 |
| Over 100,000 | 50.7% | 2,424 |
By fuel: diesel 57.4% (2,874 tests), petrol 48.9% (1,400 tests).
Kia Sportage 2007 50.3% pass 3,833 tests
On a 2007 Kia Sportage, a sidelight not working appears on 18.5% of failed tests, with a number plate light not working next at 15%.
2007 cars pass 73.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 46.5% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 73.3% | 30 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 68.8% | 202 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 55.7% | 483 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 52.8% | 788 |
| Over 100,000 | 46.5% | 2,330 |
By fuel: diesel 51.1% (2,305 tests), petrol 49.1% (1,524 tests).
Kia Sportage 2006 49.6% pass 3,261 tests
On a 2006 Kia Sportage, a sidelight not working appears on 17% of failed tests, with a worn ball joint next at 14.7%.
2006 cars pass 59.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 48.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 59.1% | 22 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 57.9% | 126 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 54.1% | 344 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 50.5% | 608 |
| Over 100,000 | 48.1% | 2,161 |
By fuel: diesel 49.4% (2,308 tests), petrol 50.2% (953 tests).
Kia Sportage 2005 50% pass 3,470 tests
On a 2005 Kia Sportage, a sidelight not working appears on 17% of failed tests, with a number plate light not working next at 15.4%.
2005 cars pass 74.1% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 46.6% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 74.1% | 54 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 66.9% | 154 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 56.6% | 366 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 51.9% | 678 |
| Over 100,000 | 46.6% | 2,216 |
By fuel: diesel 52.4% (2,163 tests), petrol 45.9% (1,304 tests).
Questions people ask
How reliable is the Kia Sportage?
On MOT evidence the Kia Sportage is about average. It passes 76.5% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and trails cars of the same age by 0.6 points. 86.1% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 785,093 DVSA tests.
What fails a Kia Sportage MOT most often?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum (14.6% of failed tests), brake pads worn below 1.5mm (14.3%) and wipers not clearing the screen (10.9%). Tyres are an easy failure to avoid. Check the tread and look for cuts and bulges the week before the test, not on the forecourt.
What is the best year for a used Kia Sportage?
Among years with a large sample, 2022 cars have the highest pass rate at 88.9% and 2009 cars the lowest at 53.8%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a Kia Sportage usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 17.4% of all Sportage tests, then brake pads worn below 1.5mm (13.4%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Kia Sportage do?
About 8,149 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is close to the UK average of roughly 7,400.
Does the Kia Sportage pass rate apply to my car?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Checking a Sportage before you buy?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 8,149 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.