Kia Carens MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a Kia Carens in Great Britain in 2025 — 13,721 tests. Figures cover every Carens first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the Carens ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
63.0%
9.3 points below the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
13,721
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
12.2%
of Carens first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
83,750
middle half: 63,750–103,750 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Kia Carens cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 14,670 Kia Carens cars that were taxed or on SORN: 12,811 taxed and 1,859 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Kia Carens vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
12,811
87.3% of the 14,670 Carens cars taxed or on SORN; 59 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
1,859
declared off the road by their keepers — 12.7% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed Carens cars peaked at 23,756 at the end of 2015 and has since fallen by 10,945 (46.1%) to 12,811 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 729 at the end of 2014 to 1,859 at the end of 2025, up 155.0%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed Carens cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

05k10k15k20k25k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed Carens cars, year 2014: 23kTaxed Carens cars, year 2015: 24kTaxed Carens cars, year 2016: 24kTaxed Carens cars, year 2017: 23kTaxed Carens cars, year 2018: 22kTaxed Carens cars, year 2019: 21kTaxed Carens cars, year 2020: 19kTaxed Carens cars, year 2021: 18kTaxed Carens cars, year 2022: 16kTaxed Carens cars, year 2023: 15kTaxed Carens cars, year 2024: 14kTaxed Carens cars, year 2025: 13k13k
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed Carens cars
201423,180
201523,756
201623,669
201723,083
201822,462
201920,654
202019,150
202117,724
202216,349
202315,106
202413,982
202512,811

Carens cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

05001k2k2k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Carens cars on SORN, year 2014: 729Carens cars on SORN, year 2015: 901Carens cars on SORN, year 2016: 1kCarens cars on SORN, year 2017: 1kCarens cars on SORN, year 2018: 1kCarens cars on SORN, year 2019: 2kCarens cars on SORN, year 2020: 2kCarens cars on SORN, year 2021: 2kCarens cars on SORN, year 2022: 2kCarens cars on SORN, year 2023: 2kCarens cars on SORN, year 2024: 2kCarens cars on SORN, year 2025: 2k2k
View this chart as a table
YearCarens cars on SORN
2014729
2015901
20161,278
20171,327
20181,461
20191,554
20201,675
20211,674
20221,664
20231,728
20241,782
20251,859

Which model years survive

Taxed Carens cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 12,811 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed Carens cars
20181,56212.2%
20171,76213.8%
20161,71913.4%
20152,02715.8%
20142,00815.7%
20131,2569.8%
20112471.9%
20102461.9%
20097205.6%
20085774.5%
20072151.7%
20061451.1%
All other build years (eight years, each under 1%)3272.6%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model name CARENS under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the Carens ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, Carens vs all cars, 2025.

Kia CarensAll cars
40%50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Kia Carens, vehicle age 7: 72.9%Kia Carens, vehicle age 8: 71.8%Kia Carens, vehicle age 9: 66.1%Kia Carens, vehicle age 10: 65.2%Kia Carens, vehicle age 11: 64.4%Kia Carens, vehicle age 12: 59.5%Kia Carens, vehicle age 16: 49.9%Kia Carens, vehicle age 17: 52.3%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%All cars 57.6%Kia Carens 52.3%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Carens testsCarens pass rateAll cars
71,64672.9%80.9%
81,85571.8%78.2%
91,77466.1%74.9%
102,08365.2%71.9%
112,09064.4%68.6%
121,30059.5%65.8%
1684649.9%58.3%
1770252.3%57.2%

Better or worse than the average car?

The Carens's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the Carens beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

Carens behind
-10-5+0+5+10Age 7: -8.0 points vs the average car7Age 8: -6.4 points vs the average carAge 9: -8.8 points vs the average car9Age 10: -6.7 points vs the average carAge 11: -4.2 points vs the average car11Age 12: -6.3 points vs the average carAge 16: -8.4 points vs the average carAge 17: -4.9 points vs the average car17Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
7-8.0
8-6.4
9-8.8
10-6.7
11-4.2
12-6.3
16-8.4
17-4.9

The Carens fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the Carens fleet still in use.

07501k2k3kAge 7: 1k7Age 8: 1kAge 9: 1k9Age 10: 2kAge 11: 2k11Age 12: 1kAge 16: 846Age 17: 70217Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
71,646
81,855
91,774
102,083
112,090
121,300
16846
17702

What a Carens fails on

Where the failure items land when a Carens fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Brakes24.6%
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment23.5%
Suspension18.0%
Tyres12.5%
Visibility6.9%
Noise, emissions and leaks5.8%
Body, chassis, structure3.6%
Steering2.1%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (97.0% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a Carens, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Brakes: 32.0% of advisories32.0%Tyres: 28.2% of advisories28.2%Suspension: 21.6% of advisories21.6%Non-component advisories: 6.6% of advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaks: 3.7% of advisoriesIdentification of the vehicle: 2.6% of advisories
BrakesTyresSuspensionNon-component advisoriesNoise, emissions and leaksIdentification of the vehicle
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Brakes32.0%
Tyres28.2%
Suspension21.6%
Non-component advisories6.6%
Noise, emissions and leaks3.7%
Identification of the vehicle2.6%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid Carens?

First-time pass rate for the two most-tested Carens fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Diesel: 63.7% of 10,503 tests63.7%Diesel10,503 testsPetrol: 60.6% of 3,216 tests60.6%Petrol3,216 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Diesel10,50363.7%
Petrol3,21660.6%

What mileage is normal for a Carens?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) Carens; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical Carens (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k791117Vehicle age (years)Age 7: typical 56,250 miles (middle half 43,750–73,750)Age 8: typical 66,250 miles (middle half 53,750–83,750)Age 9: typical 73,750 miles (middle half 56,250–91,250)Age 10: typical 83,750 miles (middle half 63,750–103,750)Age 11: typical 88,750 miles (middle half 71,250–108,750)Age 12: typical 96,250 miles (middle half 78,750–116,250)Age 16: typical 98,750 miles (middle half 78,750–118,750)Age 17: typical 101,250 miles (middle half 81,250–121,250)101k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
743,75056,25073,750
853,75066,25083,750
956,25073,75091,250
1063,75083,750103,750
1171,25088,750108,750
1278,75096,250116,250
1678,75098,750118,750
1781,250101,250121,250

What fails at each age

The Carens's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

BrakesTyresLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentSuspensionNoise, emissions and leaksVisibilityBody, chassis, structureEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
6-9 yrsBrakes28.1%
6-9 yrsTyres19.7%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment15.5%
6-9 yrsSuspension13.1%
6-9 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks11.2%
6-9 yrsEverything else12.4%
10-13 yrsBrakes27.9%
10-13 yrsSuspension21.2%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment18.5%
10-13 yrsTyres14.6%
10-13 yrsVisibility6.0%
10-13 yrsEverything else11.8%
14+ yrsBrakes26.7%
14+ yrsSuspension23.7%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment18.9%
14+ yrsTyres8.8%
14+ yrsBody, chassis, structure6.2%
14+ yrsEverything else15.7%

More vehicles we've checked

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.