Kia Sportage 2015: reliability & common MOT faults
Elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2015 Kia Sportage include Service brake performance (~6.1× peers) and Hand lever (~5.8× peers). Based on UK DVSA open data for test year 2025 (5,798 failed first-attempt tests), compared with similar age and mileage peers. Available test years: 2024, 2025.
Common faults
These are MOT failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age band, and mileage in the same test year (leave-one-out peer comparison; whole model family excluded).
Statistical patterns from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer TSBs, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Fail and advisory patterns are kept separate.
Based on 5,798 failed first-attempt tests in test year 2025.
Service brake performance
This failure pattern appears about 6.1× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 146 failed first-attempt tests; 2.5% of failed tests for this model year.
Any · 146 failures · ×6.1 vs similar cars · 2.5% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
Hand lever
This failure pattern appears about 5.8× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 139 failed first-attempt tests; 2.4% of failed tests for this model year.
Any · 139 failures · ×5.8 vs similar cars · 2.4% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
Parking brake control — Lever
This failure pattern appears about 5.3× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 226 failed first-attempt tests; 3.9% of failed tests for this model year.
Any · 226 failures · ×5.3 vs similar cars · 3.9% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
| # | Fault pattern | Location | Failures | vs similar cars | Share of fails | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Service brake performance
Brakes > Brake performance > Service Brake Efficiency (sp) > Rbt (sp) > Service brake performance
|
Any | 146 | ×6.1 | 2.5% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 2 |
Hand lever
Brakes > Service brake pedal or hand lever > Hand lever
|
Any | 139 | ×5.8 | 2.4% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 3 |
Parking brake control — Lever
Brakes > Parking brake control > Lever
|
Any | 226 | ×5.3 | 3.9% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 4 |
Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Pins and bushes
|
Rear | 147 | ×5.2 | 2.5% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 5 |
Rbt (sp)
Brakes > Brake performance > Parking brake efficiency (sp) > Rbt (sp)
|
Any | 875 | ×4.1 | 15.1% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 6 |
Parking brake performance (rear)
Brakes > Brake performance > Parking brake performance > Rbt > Parking brake performance
|
Rear | 187 | ×4.0 | 3.2% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 7 |
Parking brake performance
Brakes > Brake performance > Parking brake performance > Rbt > Parking brake performance
|
Any | 128 | ×3.3 | 2.2% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 8 |
Service brake performance (rear)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Rbt > Service brake performance
|
Rear | 314 | ×2.6 | 5.4% | Possible elevated fault |
| 9 |
Catalyst emissions
Noise, emissions and leaks > Exhaust emissions > Spark ignition > Catalyst emissions
|
Any | 310 | ×2.4 | 5.3% | Possible elevated fault |
| 10 |
Rear fog lamp
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Front and rear fog lamps > Rear fog lamp > Rear fog lamp
|
Any | 137 | ×2.4 | 2.4% | Possible elevated fault |
Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and 2.0× peer lift).
Wear patterns
These patterns look like wear or usage effects rather than model-specific design faults. Tyres, brake friction material, and alignment-related defects often track mileage and road use. They are not treated as a model design fault in our common-faults ranking.
| # | Pattern | Location | Failures | vs similar cars | Share of fails | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Brake discs (rear)
Brakes > Mechanical brake components > Brake discs and drums > Brake discs
|
Rear | 292 | ×3.4 | 5.0% | Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault |
| 2 |
Tyre pressure monitoring system
Tyres > Tyre pressure monitoring system
|
Any | 659 | ×2.0 | 11.4% | Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault |
| 3 |
Brake pads (front)
Brakes > Mechanical brake components > Brake linings and pads > Brake pads
|
Front | 454 | ×2.0 | 7.8% | Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault |
Advisories
Advisory items recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear elevated versus peers. Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.
| # | Advisory pattern | Location | Notes | vs similar cars | Share | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Individual direction indicators (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Individual direction indicators
|
Rear | 260 | ×7.3 | 4.5% | Likely common fault pattern |
| 2 |
Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Pins and bushes
|
Rear | 350 | ×5.2 | 6.0% | Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars |
| 3 |
Side repeaters
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Side repeaters
|
Any | 27 | ×4.0 | 0.5% | Elevated vs peers |
| 4 |
Transmission oil leaks (rear)
Noise, emissions and leaks > Fluid leaks > Transmission oil leaks
|
Rear | 21 | ×3.1 | 0.4% | Elevated vs peers |
| 5 |
Service brake performance (rear)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Plate brake tester > Service brake performance
|
Rear | 58 | ×2.4 | 1.0% | Possible elevated fault |
| 6 |
Service brake performance (front)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Plate brake tester > Service brake performance
|
Front | 20 | ×2.4 | 0.3% | Elevated vs peers |
| 7 |
Ball joint (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Ball joint
|
Front | 257 | ×2.4 | 4.4% | Elevated vs peers |
| 8 |
Service brake performance (rear)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Rbt > Service brake performance
|
Rear | 244 | ×2.1 | 4.2% | Possible elevated fault |
FAQs
About this data
Universe. UK class 4 cars only; normal MOT tests (not retests); results pass, PRS, or fail; one first test per vehicle per calendar year.
PRS policy. PRS means the vehicle failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.
Peer baseline. We compare this model year with other class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year, excluding the whole model family so the car is not compared with itself (leave-one-out peer baseline).
Data years. Test years covered: 2024, 2025.
Limitations.
- MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules — so this is not a full reliability score.
- Common faults are inferred from MOT defect statistics, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
- Matching on age and mileage reduces but does not remove every usage or maintenance difference between cars.
- Pass rates and star scores appear only when those data marts are available; this page never invents them.
Display rules config: 1
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.