Kia
2,018 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Picanto X Line S Autos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 12.1 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
89.6%
Pass-after-fix
2.7%
Fail
7.2%
Avg miles
16,464
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 · 2,018 tests
Pass rate is broadly flat across the cohorts — new and old Picanto X Line S Auto examples track each other at the test bay.
Pass
89.9%
Fail
6.9%
PRS
2.6%
Avg mileage at test
19,045 mi
Pass
89.2%
Fail
7.6%
PRS
2.8%
Avg mileage at test
13,245 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 700 MOT tests, the Picanto X-Line S Auto returns 90.9% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A seriously damaged tyre and a defective wiper blade round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 14,981, 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
A low-group car — among the cheapest to insure in the UK. 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 →
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A tyre seriously damaged
54 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
31 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
28 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
19 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
13 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Wiper blade defective
12 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
8 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Fuel tank, pipe or hose insecure
5 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
4 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
4 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 2 failures
£80–£140
If every one of this Picanto X Line S Auto'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. Pass rates barely move across bands here, so the year you buy Kia Picanto X Line S Auto makes little measurable difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
89.9%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 89.9% — a 0.7-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a tear, caused by separation or…, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band.
Band to be cautious about
89.2%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 89.2% pass rate against a fleet average of 89.9% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a tear, caused by separation or…, has a cut in excess of the…, and does not clear the windscreen effectively. Average mileage on test for this band is 13,245 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (89.9% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (89.2% pass). That's a 0.7-point spread across 897 older tests and 1,121 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
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
Item 02 · 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
My Motor World · affiliate
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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 Picanto continues to offer a fun and affordable option in the city car sector, backed up by the firm’s excellent long warranty.
Where it falls short
The Kia Picanto continues to offer a fun and affordable option in the city car sector, backed up by the firm’s excellent long warranty.
Kia Picanto reported to have had both front suspension springs replaced under warranty. Compare new Kia Picanto deals Buy new from £15,167(list price from £17,095) View offers
Another rattle reported behind the dash of a 2019 Hyundai i10, probably for the same reason as the KIA Picanto (above).
Rattle in front passenger area of new KIA Picanto 1 found to come from loose unused wiring connection block banging against a body part. Easily fixed by straightening and moving the wiring and block.
Complaint of clutch judder first thing in the morning in 2018 KIA Picanto X-Line 1.25. Goes away after 5 minutes driving.
Various complaints about 2017/67 KIA Picanto. Throttle control potentiometer replaced at first service. C lutch judder, worse in wet, cold weather, reversing uphill into a parking slot. Dealer has tested and does not acknowledge. Screen washers blocked. Dealer’s stance was that was owner's way of using the washers and/or wrong additive that was causing blockage. They cleared it, refilled with their “Car Plan Orange”, sold owner a bottle and fitted more generous nozzles.
Report of poor response to accelerator pedal in new Kia Picanto S Line 1.25 at between 3,000-4,000rpm. No problem with cruise control bringing car up to speed, but very sluggish using the pedal. There is probably something wrong with the 'potentiometer' accelerator switch. The car has a 'drive by wire system' that makes an electrical connection between the accelerator pedal and the throttle body.
Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 6 reports indexed
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 Picanto X Line S Auto 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.
