Kia
8,251 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Niro 3 EVs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.4 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
88.9%
Pass-after-fix
3.5%
Fail
7.1%
Avg miles
52,948
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from all UK clean air zone charges.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 8,251 tests
Pass rate drops 1.5 points across the cohorts — recent Niro 3 EV examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
90.3%
Fail
6.1%
PRS
3.4%
Avg mileage at test
41,564 mi
Pass
88.8%
Fail
7.2%
PRS
3.5%
Avg mileage at test
53,774 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 3,140 MOT tests, the Niro 3 Ev returns 89.5% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a tyre with the cords showing. Tyre tread under the limit and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 51,702, 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
180 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
139 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
104 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
Wiper blade defective
97 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
87 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
61 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
37 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
18 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A reversing lamp inoperative
16 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
15 occurrences · 0.2% 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
£140–£235
If every one of this Niro 3 EV'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 →
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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.5-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Kia Niro 3 EV makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
90.3%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 90.3% — a 1.5-point improvement. Tests in this band average 41,564 miles — roughly 12K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, has ply or cords exposed — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
88.8%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 88.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 90.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, has ply or cords exposed, and has a cut in excess of the…. Average mileage on test for this band is 53,774 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (90.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (88.8% pass). That's a 1.5-point spread across 7,695 older tests and 556 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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EV King · affiliate
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EV Charging Cables
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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 3 EV 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.
