Verdict
The Kia XCeed passes its MOT first time on 87.0% of tests, about the same as a typical car of the same age and mileage (87.2%). That puts it ahead of 48% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
Better than average on lights & electrics.
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 | 85.9% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.5 Petrol | 88.9% | Beats 61% | B |
| 1.4 Petrol | 87.5% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.6 Hybrid | 87.5% | Beats 71% | B |
| 1.6 Diesel | 87.0% | Beats 67% | B |
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 2.0× typical
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail. - Tyre tread depth 1.7× typical
Check every tyre, including the inner edge, has at least 3 mm of tread. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems. - Suspension arm bushes 5.0× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering. - Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre. - Brake pads
Ask when the pads were last replaced and look for a brake-wear warning on the dash. - 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 | 4.0% | 2.0% | 2.0× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 2.5% | 3.6% | 0.7× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.5% | 1.4% | 1.7× |
| Brake pads | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.0× |
| Windscreen washers | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.1× |
| Headlight aim | 0.7% | 1.4% | 0.5× |
| Suspension arm bushes | 0.7% | 0.1% | 5.0× |
| Brake discs | 0.4% | 0.3% | 1.3× |
| Engine warning light | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.6× |
| Brake performance | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1.2× |
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 | 40.0 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 24.5 |
| A tyre seriously damaged | 17.5 |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 11.2 |
| Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 10.7 |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 8.0 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 7.3 |
| A tyre cords visible or damaged | 6.4 |
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 XCeed1 engine87.8% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Petrol | 87.8% | Beats 50% | C |
2022 Kia XCeed3 engines88.3% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 87.4% | Beats 42% | C |
| 1.5 Petrol | 89.4% | Beats 65% | B |
| 1.6 Hybrid | 87.5% | Beats 72% | B |
2021 Kia XCeed3 engines86.5% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 85.1% | Beats 21% | D |
| 1.5 Petrol | 88.3% | Beats 57% | C |
| 1.6 Hybrid | 86.9% | Beats 64% | B |
2020 Kia XCeed4 engines86.5% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Petrol | 85.6% | Beats 33% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 87.5% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 87.0% | Beats 67% | B |
| 1.6 Hybrid | 89.0% | Beats 87% | A |
FAQ
What is the Kia XCeed MOT pass rate?
87.0% of MOT tests on the Kia XCeed were passed first time, based on 59,294 tests between 2022 and 2026 of cars first registered 2020–2023. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 87.2% of the time.
Is the Kia XCeed reliable?
On MOT results it rates C (average): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 48% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Kia XCeed?
The most common failure items are windscreen wipers, tyre damage & cracking, tyre tread depth. Compared with similar cars, windscreen wipers comes up 2.0× as often.