Kia
2,753 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Niro 2 Phev S As pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 14.0 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
91.5%
Pass-after-fix
2.8%
Fail
5.4%
Avg miles
40,890
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 2,753 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.0 points across the cohorts — newer Niro 2 Phev S A examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
90.1%
Fail
5.8%
PRS
3.8%
Avg mileage at test
46,519 mi
Pass
92.1%
Fail
5.3%
PRS
2.3%
Avg mileage at test
38,516 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 666 MOT tests, the Niro 2 Phev S-A returns 92.2% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A seriously damaged tyre and a defective wiper blade round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 30,150, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
16–24
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Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
33 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Wiper blade defective
32 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
30 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
29 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
28 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
6 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
5 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A lens defective which has no effect on emitted light
4 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
4 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Parking brake inoperative on one side
4 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£100–£185
If every one of this Niro 2 Phev S A's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.0-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Kia Niro 2 Phev S A makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
92.1%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 92.1% — a 2.0-point improvement. Tests in this band average 38,516 miles — roughly 8K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: blade defective, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.
Band to be cautious about
90.1%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 90.1% pass rate against a fleet average of 92.1% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, does not clear the windscreen effectively, and blade defective. Average mileage on test for this band is 46,519 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (92.1% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (90.1% pass). That's a 2.0-point spread across 817 older tests and 1,936 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Owner reports · Honest John
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
The Kia Niro is a well-built, frugal and likeable hybrid crossover that rarely gives cause for concern. Most versions are good to drive, well-equipped, with a reliable hybrid drivetrain.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Niro 2 Phev S A and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
