Reliability report
Kia Sorento reliability and common faults
Based on 51,854 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
26.8%
fail rate · average 23.8%
much worse than average
31,092 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
57.7%
with defects · average 53.5%
worse than average
8,952 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
46.1%
first-time pass · average 52.3%
much worse than average
11,810 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 Sorento
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Seat belts and airbagsconfirmed in 2 countries
Steeringconfirmed in 2 countries
Brakesconfirmed in 2 countries
Body and structureconfirmed in 2 countries
Suspension
Plates and identificationconfirmed in 2 countries
Wheels
Lights and electrics
Tyres
Exhaust and emissions
Visibility
Driving controls
Most common test failures
- 1Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 2Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 3Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 4Tyre insufficient tread
- 5Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 6Sidelight not working (properly)
- 7Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault
- 8Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 9Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less
- 10Steering knuckle (ball joint) too much play
- 11Exhaust system not gas-tight / unsafe exhaust gas discharge
- 12Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 15.3% avg 9.9% | 24.3% avg 27.0% |
| 6–8 years | 16.1% avg 15.3% | — |
| 9–11 years | 25.0% avg 22.9% | 48.2% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 35.4% avg 30.3% | 63.3% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 39.4% avg 34.6% | 69.1% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 39.6% avg 31.4% | 73.2% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | Sorento | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 78.1% | 86.7% | 73 |
| 2019 | 79.0% | 83.2% | 62 |
| 2018 | 76.8% | 79.5% | 112 |
| 2017 | 67.0% | 76.6% | 212 |
| 2016 | 65.0% | 72.8% | 323 |
| 2015 | 66.4% | 71.1% | 452 |
| 2014 | 59.3% | 68.0% | 231 |
| 2013 | 62.4% | 65.9% | 287 |
| 2012 | 57.7% | 63.7% | 343 |
| 2011 | 52.3% | 61.2% | 593 |
| 2010 | 50.7% | 57.3% | 653 |
| 2009 | 44.9% | 54.5% | 207 |
| 2008 | 43.3% | 52.4% | 367 |
| 2007 | 41.1% | 50.6% | 654 |
| 2006 | 40.7% | 48.7% | 1,593 |
Kia Sorento – FAQs
How reliable is the Kia Sorento?+
In the UK the Kia Sorento fails 26.8% of MOT tests, against an average of 23.8% for cars of the same age – much worse than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 57.7% of APK inspections (average there 53.5%) – worse than average. In Lithuania 46.1% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 52.3%) – much worse than average.
What goes wrong most often on the Kia Sorento?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: seat belts and airbags, steering, brakes, body and structure.
What should I check when buying a used Kia Sorento?+
The most common inspection failures: Excessive leakage of other fluids; Tyre pressure not at correct value; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Tyre insufficient tread; Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing. 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: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).