Verdict
The Kia Venga passes its MOT first time on 74.6% of tests, 3.0 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (77.6%). That puts it ahead of 29% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2018 Venga does best (beats 61% of cars) and the 2011 worst (beats 16%).
Of its engines, the 1.6 Petrol does best (beats 39%) and the 1.4 Diesel worst (beats 13%).
Better than average on emissions & leaks, body & structure.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 79.9% | Beats 39% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 72.7% | Beats 27% | D |
| 1.4 Diesel | 62.5% | Beats 13% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 75.3% | Beats 36% | D |
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
- Track rod ends 5.5× typical
Feel for play or knocking in the steering and check for wear on the inner edges of the front tyres. - Sidelights 2.6× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Shock absorbers 1.5× typical
Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers. - Handbrake performance 1.5× typical
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope. - Brake discs 1.4× typical
Look through the wheel spokes for scored discs or a heavy rust lip on the edge. - Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track rod ends | 4.9% | 0.9% | 5.5× |
| Sidelights | 4.0% | 1.5% | 2.6× |
| Brake lights | 3.0% | 1.5% | 2.0× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 2.8% | 3.1% | 0.9× |
| Windscreen wipers | 2.4% | 2.1% | 1.1× |
| Windscreen washers | 2.2% | 1.6% | 1.4× |
| Headlight aim | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1.0× |
| Brake pads | 1.9% | 1.6% | 1.2× |
| Tyre tread depth | 1.5% | 1.9% | 0.8× |
| Coil springs | 1.2% | 2.1% | 0.6× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 45.3 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 36.4 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 25.8 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 23.7 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 22.1 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 21.9 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 18.9 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 18.2 |
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.
2019 Kia Venga1 engine88.5% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 88.5% | Beats 46% | C |
2018 Kia Venga3 engines88.1% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 88.9% | Beats 65% | B |
| 1.4 Petrol | 86.0% | Beats 48% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 84.4% | Beats 46% | C |
2017 Kia Venga4 engines85.6% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 86.3% | Beats 52% | C |
| 1.4 Petrol | 85.9% | Beats 55% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 83.7% | Beats 55% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 79.7% | Beats 26% | D |
2016 Kia Venga4 engines83.8% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 85.4% | Beats 59% | C |
| 1.4 Petrol | 82.5% | Beats 42% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 82.9% | Beats 63% | B |
| 1.4 Diesel | 78.6% | Beats 33% | D |
2015 Kia Venga4 engines81.2% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 83.4% | Beats 58% | C |
| 1.4 Petrol | 81.0% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 76.3% | Beats 28% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 78.8% | Beats 50% | C |
2014 Kia Venga4 engines74.0% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 77.0% | Beats 30% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 74.4% | Beats 24% | D |
| 1.4 Diesel | 68.7% | Beats 12% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 70.8% | Beats 21% | D |
2013 Kia Venga4 engines69.8% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 72.5% | Beats 26% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 71.2% | Beats 27% | D |
| 1.4 Diesel | 62.6% | Beats 9% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 67.6% | Beats 27% | D |
2012 Kia Venga4 engines64.6% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 67.8% | Beats 21% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 64.7% | Beats 16% | E |
| 1.4 Diesel | 58.3% | Beats 9% | E |
| 1.6 Diesel | 62.1% | Beats 19% | E |
2011 Kia Venga3 engines60.4% passE
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Diesel | 54.0% | Beats 9% | E |
| 1.6 Petrol | 66.0% | Beats 28% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 62.3% | Beats 18% | E |
2010 Kia Venga3 engines58.2% passD
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Diesel | 53.7% | Beats 16% | E |
| 1.4 Petrol | 59.3% | Beats 23% | D |
| 1.6 Petrol | 65.5% | Beats 37% | D |
FAQ
What is the Kia Venga MOT pass rate?
74.6% of MOT tests on the Kia Venga were passed first time, based on 381,655 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2010–2019. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 77.6% of the time.
Is the Kia Venga reliable?
On MOT results it rates D (below average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 29% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Kia Venga year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2018 Venga does best for its age and mileage: it beats 61% of cars on UK roads. The 2011 does worst: it beats 16%.
Which Kia Venga engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.6 Petrol does best: it beats 39% of cars on UK roads. The 1.4 Diesel does worst: it beats 13%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Kia Venga?
The most common failure items are track rod ends, sidelights, brake lights. Compared with similar cars, track rod ends comes up 5.5× as often.