Verdict
The Kia Stonic passes its MOT first time on 88.5% of tests, 1.9 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (86.5%). That puts it ahead of 71% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2018 Stonic does best (beats 76% of cars) and the 2019 worst (beats 69%).
Better than average on tyres, lights & electrics, suspension.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
Best and worst years
By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.
Engines
All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 88.6% | Beats 72% | B |
| 1.0 Hybrid | 91.7% | Beats 85% | A |
| 1.6 Diesel | 85.3% | Beats 70% | B |
| 1.4 Petrol | 85.5% | Beats 52% | C |
Where it fails
Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Windscreen wipers 1.5× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Brake pads 1.6× typical
Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash. - Brake performance 1.5× typical
On the test drive, brake firmly: the car should stop straight with no pulsing through the pedal. - Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre. - Tyre tread depth
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems. - Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windscreen wipers | 3.0% | 1.9% | 1.5× |
| Brake pads | 2.1% | 1.3% | 1.6× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 1.4% | 3.2% | 0.4× |
| Tyre tread depth | 1.2% | 1.4% | 0.8× |
| Windscreen washers | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.0× |
| Headlight aim | 0.8% | 1.4% | 0.6× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 0.6% | 0.5% | 1.2× |
| Brake discs | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1.2× |
| Ball joint dust covers | 0.4% | 0.1% | 5.7× |
| Brake performance | 0.3% | 0.2% | 1.5× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 29.5 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 20.1 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 11.7 |
| A tyre seriously damaged | 10.5 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 10.2 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 8.3 |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 5.5 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 4.4 |
Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.
Every year and engine
Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.
2023 Kia Stonic2 engines93.0% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 92.8% | Beats 92% | A |
| 1.0 Hybrid | 93.2% | Beats 92% | A |
2022 Kia Stonic2 engines90.8% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Hybrid | 93.0% | Beats 94% | A |
| 1.0 Petrol | 87.1% | Beats 23% | D |
2021 Kia Stonic2 engines89.5% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Hybrid | 90.6% | Beats 75% | B |
| 1.0 Petrol | 87.9% | Beats 42% | C |
2020 Kia Stonic1 engine89.1% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 89.1% | Beats 63% | B |
2019 Kia Stonic3 engines88.0% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 88.9% | Beats 76% | B |
| 1.4 Petrol | 84.9% | Beats 37% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 84.3% | Beats 60% | C |
2018 Kia Stonic3 engines87.3% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 88.2% | Beats 80% | A |
| 1.6 Diesel | 85.6% | Beats 72% | B |
| 1.4 Petrol | 86.1% | Beats 65% | B |
2017 Kia Stonic2 engines87.7% passA
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 88.5% | Beats 87% | A |
| 1.6 Diesel | 85.7% | Beats 76% | B |
FAQ
What is the Kia Stonic MOT pass rate?
88.5% of MOT tests on the Kia Stonic were passed first time, based on 134,086 tests between 2020 and 2026 of cars first registered 2017–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 86.5% of the time.
Is the Kia Stonic reliable?
On MOT results it rates B (good): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 71% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Kia Stonic year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2018 Stonic does best for its age and mileage: it beats 76% of cars on UK roads. The 2019 does worst: it beats 69%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Kia Stonic?
The most common failure items are windscreen wipers, brake pads, tyre damage & cracking. Compared with similar cars, windscreen wipers comes up 1.5× as often.