Kia
1,414 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Sportage 3 Isgs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 9.9 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
87.4%
Pass-after-fix
3.7%
Fail
8.7%
Avg miles
27,504
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 · 1,414 tests
Pass rate climbs 3.2 points across the cohorts — newer Sportage 3 Isg examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
85.7%
Fail
11.0%
PRS
3.0%
Avg mileage at test
30,816 mi
Pass
88.8%
Fail
6.7%
PRS
4.3%
Avg mileage at test
24,747 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 479 MOT tests, the Sportage 3 Isg returns 86.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Wipers that don't clear the screen and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 22,512, 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
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. 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 →
16–29
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Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
42 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
35 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
Wiper blade defective
22 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
11 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
10 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud
9 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
8 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
6 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
6 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
5 occurrences · 0.4% 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 5 failures
£260–£585
If every one of this Sportage 3 Isg'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 3.2-point gap between bands means the year you buy Kia Sportage 3 Isg has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
88.8%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 88.8% — a 3.2-point improvement. Tests in this band average 24,747 miles — roughly 6K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: does not clear the windscreen effectively, blade defective — 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
85.7%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 85.7% pass rate against a fleet average of 88.8% 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 30,816 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (88.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (85.7% pass). That's a 3.2-point spread across 643 older tests and 771 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
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
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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.
Where it falls short
Looks are potentially divisive. Hybrid system’s noisy when pushed. Driving experience lacks sparkle.
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 Sportage 3 Isg 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.
