Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 5,004 tests

Pass rate climbs 8.0 points across the cohorts — newer Stinger examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 931

Pass

86.7%

Fail

8.8%

PRS

4.0%

Avg mileage at test

45,383 mi

2018–2020 cohort 3,662

Pass

91.0%

Fail

7.5%

PRS

1.0%

Avg mileage at test

39,487 mi

2021+ cohort 411

Pass

94.7%

Fail

4.4%

PRS

0.5%

Avg mileage at test

20,611 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

Stinger: a strong MOT record by UK norms

Across 2,115 MOT tests, the Stinger returns 88.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Brake pads worn below 1.5 mm and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 33,143, 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

Group 30–42

A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. 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 →

30–42

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

81 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
02

a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

72 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
03

A tyre cords visible or damaged

56 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
04

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

56 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
05

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

54 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
06

Wiper blade defective

45 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
07

A tyre seriously damaged

35 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
08

A tyre seriously damaged

22 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
09

Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements

21 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
10

The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

17 occurrences · 0.3% 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 4 failures

£220–£395

If every one of this Stinger'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

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 8.0-point gap between bands means the year you buy Kia Stinger has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

94.7%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 94.7% — a 8.0-point improvement. Tests in this band average 20,611 miles — roughly 25K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has ply or cords exposed, does not clear the windscreen effectively — 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

86.7%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 86.7% pass rate against a fleet average of 94.7% 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 45,383 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (94.7% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (86.7% pass). That's a 8.0-point spread across 931 older tests and 411 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

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

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

Item 03 · 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

Parts & supplies for this fix

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Hycote

Hycote Touch Up Colour Paint Brush Kia Titanium Silver Metallic 12.5ml

£6.59

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£6.59

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Hycote

Hycote Kia Clear White Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml

£6.59

View at My Motor World →

Hycote

Hycote Kia Titanium Silver Metallic Double Acrylic Spray Paint 150ml

£6.59

View at My Motor World →

Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.

Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

Book a mechanic at your door.

Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.

Get a quote →

Recall history

13 UK recalls on record.

The Stinger has 13 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping a Stinger?

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 Stinger 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.