Kia Optima, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
10,366 Kia Optimas are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 78.6% of initial MOT tests, 6.3 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific Optima? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Kia Optima at the MOT
78.6% of 10,954 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Optima 220th of 575 models. Kia Optimas aged 3 to 5 years passed 82.1% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 63.7%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Kia Optima tests in 2025.
Where Optimas fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Kia Optima tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (10%), tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (7.4%) and condition has ply or cords exposed (5%).
The MOT page lists every common Optima MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Optima's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.31.9% of Optima failure items
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Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.22.3% of Optima failure items
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.13.3% of Optima failure items
Kia Optimas in the UK
10,366 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 341% since the end of 2014, although it peaked at 11,679 at the end of 2019.
- Change since 2014
- +341%from 2,350 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2017half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2017 or earlier
- Declared off the road
- 4414.1% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Kia Optimas since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 2,350 |
| End of 2015 | 2,989 |
| End of 2016 | 4,140 |
| End of 2017 | 6,864 |
| End of 2018 | 9,714 |
| End of 2019 | 11,679 |
| End of 2020 | 11,656 |
| End of 2021 | 11,578 |
| End of 2022 | 11,424 |
| End of 2023 | 11,193 |
| End of 2024 | 10,978 |
| End of 2025 | 10,626 |
| End of June 2026 | 10,366 |
How old they are
Licensed Kia Optimas by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 20 were first used before 2012.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 122 | 147 |
| 2019 | 1,579 | 1,807 |
| 2018 | 2,528 | 2,924 |
| 2017 | 3,142 | 3,601 |
| 2016 | 1,201 | 1,437 |
| 2015 | 583 | 746 |
| 2014 | 571 | |
| 2013 | 312 | |
| 2012 | 552 |
583 Optimas first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 78% of the 746 first registered that year.
Optima engines and fuel
1.7 litre engines made up 72% of Kia Optima MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.6 litre at 19%. Diesel accounts for 93% of licensed Optimas and plug-in hybrid for 6.5%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 10,954 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed Optimas
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 64 | 0.6% |
| Diesel | 9,631 | 93% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 671 | 6% |
Kia Optima recalls
6 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Kia Optima. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Optima is affected.
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Dec 2024 R/2024/465
Kia HECU Fuse Replacement
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The HECU hydraulic electronic control unit of affected vehicles equipped with Anti-lock Brake Systems ABS and Electronic Stability Control ESC could leak internally and cause an electrical short over time. In extreme cases the HECU could overheat with a possible risk of an under bonnet fire.
- Remedy
- The recall will replace the fuses in the junction box with a lower rated version.
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Nov 2023 R/2023/266
Certain engines may have been produced with conditions that can cause premature wear of the connecting rod bearings
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- Complete an electronic vibration test if the engine fails the test it will be replaced
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Sep 2023 R/2023/255
The mesh filter inside the tandem pump may block causing insufficient oil supply and a risk of vacuum pump failure. If the pump fails there will be no vacuum assistance and the possibility of increased braking distance when applying the brake pedal
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- Remove the mesh filter and check the vacuum pump for damage if damaged replace the pump/drive belt.
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Aug 2019 R/2019/259
The forward collision avoidance assist may fail to identify stationary vehicles
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The Forward Collision Avoidance Assist system may have problems identifying stationary cars.
- Remedy
- Upgrade the software for the Multi-Function Camera system.
-
Jun 2018 R/2018/123
High voltage battery system may malfunction and cause a sudden loss of power
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Incorrect operation of the Voltage Protection Device (VPD) may lead to the high voltage battery system intermittently switching off the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) motor whilst driving. If the fault occurs a warning light will be displayed on the dashboard and the vehicle could suffer a sudden loss of power.
- Remedy
- Replace the Battery Management System (BMS) main and sub units and wiring loom
-
Jun 2013 R/2013/055
Brake lights may malfunction
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The vehicles brake lights may intermittently malfunction due to carbonisation of the contacts within the brake light switch. This can also affect other systems on the vehicle including: ESC cruise control gear selection (autoboxes) engine check lamp.
- Remedy
- Recall vehicles likely to be affected to replace the brake light switch.
Other Kia models
The most-tested Kia models in 2025, against the Optima's 78.6% MOT pass rate.
Kia Optima FAQs
How many Kia Optimas are there in the UK?
10,366 Kia Optimas were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 441 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Kia Optima reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 78.6% first-time pass rate for the Kia Optima across 10,954 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Kia Optima had any recalls?
6 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Kia Optima. The most recent was published in December 2024. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Kia Optima?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: brakes, tyres and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a Kia Optima's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found an Optima?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,389 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Kia history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Kia VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to July 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.