Reliability report
Kia Cerato reliability and common faults
Based on 3,753 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
39.6%
fail rate · average 34.6%
much worse than average
402 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
63.4%
with defects · average 64.7%
about average
2,704 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
46.5%
first-time pass · average 47.3%
about average
647 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Kia Cerato
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Body and structureconfirmed in 2 countries
Brakesconfirmed in 2 countries
Visibility
Plates and identificationconfirmed in 2 countries
Seat belts and airbags
Suspension
Steering
Lights and electrics
Tyres
Exhaust and emissions
Wheels
Most common test failures
- 1Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 2Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 3Tyre insufficient tread
- 4Sidelight not working (properly)
- 5Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 6Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 7Disc or drum brake doesn't run free
- 8Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 9Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
- 10Exhaust system not gas-tight / unsafe exhaust gas discharge
- 11Windscreen wiper system gives insufficient visibility
- 12Low beam light-dark cutoff unclear
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 16–20 years | 39.6% avg 34.6% | 63.4% avg 64.7% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | Cerato | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 37.8% | 50.6% | 37 |
| 2006 | 50.2% | 48.7% | 213 |
| 2005 | 46.9% | 46.6% | 275 |
| 2004 | 39.6% | 44.5% | 111 |
Kia Cerato – FAQs
How reliable is the Kia Cerato?+
In the UK the Kia Cerato fails 39.6% of MOT tests, against an average of 34.6% for cars of the same age – much worse than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 63.4% of APK inspections (average there 64.7%) – about average. In Lithuania 46.5% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 47.3%) – about average.
What goes wrong most often on the Kia Cerato?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: body and structure, brakes, visibility, plates and identification.
What should I check when buying a used Kia Cerato?+
The most common inspection failures: Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Tyre insufficient tread; Sidelight not working (properly); Tyre pressure not at correct value. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Kia models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: LuvsMG481, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).