In 2025, 111,375 Kia Ceed cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 66% passed first time, compared with 71% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Ceed worse than average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 180 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 3 years old, 86% of Ceeds passed first time (all cars that age: 88%). By 18 years, that figure is 51% (all cars: 57%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 14 years (10 points behind).
Kia Ceed All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Ceed passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 3,919 | 86% | 88% | 31,746 |
| 4 years | 1,909 | 84% | 87% | 36,782 |
| 5 years | 1,799 | 85% | 86% | 42,255 |
| 6 years | 7,590 | 82% | 84% | 53,973 |
| 7 years | 9,188 | 80% | 81% | 60,279 |
| 8 years | 8,531 | 77% | 78% | 69,667 |
| 9 years | 9,550 | 74% | 75% | 75,850 |
| 10 years | 11,082 | 71% | 72% | 82,033 |
| 11 years | 10,834 | 64% | 69% | 87,659 |
| 12 years | 10,602 | 61% | 66% | 98,633 |
| 13 years | 10,993 | 55% | 63% | 103,036 |
| 14 years | 6,524 | 51% | 61% | 105,556 |
| 15 years | 6,985 | 51% | 59% | 103,135 |
| 16 years | 6,043 | 52% | 58% | 101,379 |
| 17 years | 3,690 | 48% | 57% | 107,180 |
| 18 years | 1,984 | 51% | 57% | 107,893 |
What fails most on a Kia Ceed
The area that lets the Ceed down most, relative to other cars, is steering: 5.9% of tests failed on it, 2.7 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on body and structure and emissions and leaks.
Share of Ceed tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 8.1% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 4.2% |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | Steering | 4.2% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 4.1% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 3.8% |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | Visibility | 3.7% |
What to check when buying a used Ceed
Based on where the Ceed fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Steering: Feel for play or knocking through the wheel, and check power-steering fluid isn’t leaking. More
- Brakes: Look through the wheels for lipped or scored discs, check the handbrake holds on a slope, and feel for pulling or vibration under firm braking. Repair guide
- Lights and electrics: Walk round with the lights on: headlights (dipped and main), indicators, brake lights, number-plate and fog lights. Bulbs are cheap, but a seller who hasn’t noticed one out may have missed more. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific Ceed
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a CeedFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Kia Ceed?
In 2025, 66% of Kia Ceed cars passed their MOT first time, across 111,375 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 71%.
What do Kia Ceed cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (8.1% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (4.2% of tests); a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play (4.2% of tests).
Other Kia models
Kia Sportage (75%), Kia Picanto (71%), Kia Rio (70%), Kia Niro (87%), Kia Venga (71%), Kia Sorento (68%). All Kia models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.