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Kia Optima years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

8,762 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2016–2019 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

Kia Optima years with MOT pass rates below the average for vehicles first used in the same year: 2019. Above it: 2016–2018.

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

81.2%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 80.4% to 82.0%.

In 2025, 81.2% of the 8,762 initial MOT tests on Kia Optima cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 79.6%. That is 1.6 points above the same-age average.

Check a specific Optima

Its own MOT history, free.

Kia Optima MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

YearChartTestsmedian milesPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles that year
2019age 61,67467,20080.6%±2.0−2.9 ptsall: 83.5%
2018age 72,63774,40082.5%±1.5+1.6 ptsall: 80.9%
2017age 83,21882,40080.7%±1.4+2.5 ptsall: 78.2%
2016age 91,23384,50080.5%±2.4+5.6 ptsall: 74.9%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Does mileage matter?

Kia Optima first-time pass rates by the mileage at the initial test, all years together, against all vehicles of the same age and mileage.

83.7% of Kia Optima tests at 30,000 to 59,999 miles passed first time, against 80.3% at 120,000 miles or more. For all vehicles of the same age and mileage, the figures are 81.7% and 72.4%.

Miles at the testTestsPassed first timeAgainst all vehicles, same age and mileage
30,000–59,9992,06483.7%±1.7+2.0 ptsall: 81.7%
60,000–89,9993,43980.7%±1.4+4.2 ptsall: 76.6%
90,000–119,9991,91779.3%±1.9+6.4 ptsall: 72.9%
120,000 or more1,14280.3%±2.5+7.9 ptsall: 72.4%

Against all vehicles of the same age and mileage, Optima tests were above average in every band shown.

Mileage is only one factor. How a car has been driven and looked after matters too. These figures show an association across all Kia Optima tests in 2025, not what mileage does to a particular car.

Mileage is the odometer reading at the initial test. Each band is compared with all vehicles first used in the same year with a reading in the same band, weighted by this model's own tests in each year. Bands need at least 1,000 tests. Not shown, with fewer than 1,000 tests: under 30,000. Every test had a usable odometer reading. How we count

Common Optima problems at the MOT

Share of the 1,647 failed tests with a fault in each area, all years together. A test can count in more than one area, so these add up to more than 100%.

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems. Each year page compares that year's failure areas with all vehicles first used in the same year.

What to check when viewing a Optima

Based on the areas where Kia Optima MOT tests fail most often. These are general checks anyone can do, not a mechanical inspection.

  1. Brakes

    In 36.4% of failed Optima tests

    • On a clear road, brake firmly. The car should stop in a straight line without juddering or pulling to one side.
    • Check the handbrake holds the car on a slope.
    • Look through the wheels at the brake discs for deep grooves or a raised lip at the edge.

  2. Tyres

    In 34.9% of failed Optima tests

    • Check the tread on every tyre. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread.
    • Look for cuts, bulges, and wear on only the inner or outer edge, which can point to an alignment problem.
    • Check that the spare wheel or the tyre repair kit is there.

Then read the car's own MOT history. Advisories in the same area at several tests are worth asking about.

Check a Optima's MOT history

After an MOT advisory

Kia Optima cars that passed their 2024 MOT first time with an advisory, and what their next MOT found, against similar cars that passed with nothing noted in that area. All first-use years together.

Tyres

Of Kia Optima cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a tyre advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 9.2% failed on tyres, against 5.6% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,475 and 4,489 cars.

  • With a tyre advisory9.2%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted5.6%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 13.2% of those with a tyre advisory and 13.0% of the others.

Brakes

Of Kia Optima cars that passed their 2024 MOT with a brake advisory and came back for their next MOT 10–14 months later, 10.4% failed on brakes, against 6.4% of similar cars with nothing noted. Based on 1,333 and 4,706 cars.

  • With a brake advisory10.4%
  • Similar cars, nothing noted6.4%

Cars not tested again in that window are not included: 13.0% of those with a brake advisory and 13.0% of the others.

Similar cars are the same model, first-use year and mileage band. Areas are the DVSA's top-level groups, so the later fail may not be the fault that was advised. These figures describe what happened to these cars. They don't show what a repair would have changed.

How we worked this outAll models compared, with the data

Kia Optima questions

Which Kia Optima years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, these model years have below-average MOT pass rates: 2019. Above average: 2016–2018. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the Kia Optima reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 81.2% of initial MOT tests on Kia Optima cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 79.6%. That is 1.6 points above average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What are the most common Kia Optima problems at the MOT?

The most common failure areas are brakes (in 36.4% of failed tests) and tyres (in 34.9% of failed tests). A failed test can count in more than one area.

What mileage is normal for a 7-year-old Kia Optima?

At their 2025 MOT tests, Kia Optima cars first used in 2018, about 7 years old, had a median of 74,400 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific Optima's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any Kia Optima

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checksWhat MOT history doesn't show

Other Kia models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

All 13 Kia modelsCars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all Kia Optima cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count