Kia Sorento, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
40,259 Kia Sorentos are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 71.6% of initial MOT tests, 0.7 points below the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific Sorento? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Kia Sorento at the MOT
71.6% of 36,418 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Sorento 322nd of 575 models. Kia Sorentos aged 3 to 5 years passed 84.8% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 57.4%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Kia Sorento tests in 2025.
Where Sorentos fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Kia Sorento tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were track rod end ball joint has excessive play (4.9%), brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (4.9%) and ball joint excessively worn (4.6%).
The MOT page lists every common Sorento MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Sorento's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.22.3% of Sorento 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.20.2% of Sorento failure items
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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.20% of Sorento failure items
Kia Sorentos in the UK
40,259 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 16% since the end of 2014, although it peaked at 43,162 at the end of 2019.
- Change since 2014
- +16%from 34,804 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2017half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2017 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 2,429against 4,277 in 2015
- Declared off the road
- 4,45510% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Kia Sorentos since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 34,804 |
| End of 2015 | 38,378 |
| End of 2016 | 40,639 |
| End of 2017 | 42,107 |
| End of 2018 | 42,907 |
| End of 2019 | 43,162 |
| End of 2020 | 42,119 |
| End of 2021 | 41,696 |
| End of 2022 | 40,865 |
| End of 2023 | 41,007 |
| End of 2024 | 40,577 |
| End of 2025 | 40,631 |
| End of June 2026 | 40,259 |
How old they are
Licensed Kia Sorentos by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 833 were first used before 2006.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,347 | 2,429 |
| 2024 | 1,986 | 2,037 |
| 2023 | 2,720 | 2,817 |
| 2022 | 1,953 | 2,058 |
| 2021 | 2,200 | 2,311 |
| 2020 | 1,164 | 1,212 |
| 2019 | 2,684 | 2,885 |
| 2018 | 2,650 | 2,853 |
| 2017 | 3,047 | 3,268 |
| 2016 | 3,043 | 3,333 |
| 2015 | 3,826 | 4,277 |
| 2014 | 2,738 | |
| 2013 | 1,939 | |
| 2012 | 1,638 | |
| 2011 | 1,355 | |
| 2010 | 1,457 | |
| 2009 | 860 | |
| 2008 | 541 | |
| 2007 | 680 | |
| 2006 | 914 |
3,826 Sorentos first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 89% of the 4,277 first registered that year.
Sorento engines and fuel
2.2 litre engines made up 73% of Kia Sorento MOT tests in 2025, followed by 2.5 litre at 14%. Diesel accounts for 79% of licensed Sorentos and hybrid electric for 15%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 36,414 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed Sorentos
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 65 | 0.2% |
| Diesel | 31,754 | 79% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 2,447 | 6% |
| Hybrid electric | 5,990 | 15% |
| Gas | 3 | <0.1% |
Kia Sorento recalls
22 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Kia Sorento. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Sorento is affected.
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Apr 2026 R/2026/139
Kia Cluster Malfunction Recall
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The instrument cluster screen may respond slowly immediately after starting the vehicle. During this condition activating the turn signal can cause the cluster to reset or the Blind View Monitor (BVM) within the cluster to turn green. The malfunction is caused by PMIC noise induced falsely high temperature sensor readings which trigger the chip protection logic above a certain threshold and lead to performance limitation up to reboot or black screen.
- Remedy
- Over The Air software update or dealer software update
-
Apr 2025 R/2025/130
Kia Sorento MQ4 PDC Recall
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- When the turn signal is switched off after operating the turn signal or hazard light more than 5 minutes the upper part of Daytime Running Light (DRL) stays off. The DRL will subsequently not meet the required intensity standard.
- Remedy
- Kia will issue a software update via OTA (Over the Air) if this fails or a customer refuses the OTA update a Kia dealer will update the software.
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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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Sep 2023 R/2023/269
Turn signals may not activate intermittently due to improper switch contact in the multifunction switch
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- Software update for the multifunction switch which increases the acceptable range for the control system
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Apr 2023 R/2023/077
Poor moulding of the plastic fuel tank by a temporary supplier can lead to a potential fuel leak
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- Replace the fuel tank.
-
Feb 2023 R/2022/343
The PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heater in some Sorento (XM) models can overheat due to potential damage of the connector terminal. This can lead to a malfunction of the PTC heater and a risk of fire
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heater in some Sorento (XM) diesel models can overheat due to potential damage of the connector terminal. This can lead to a malfunction of the PTC heater and a risk of fire.
- Remedy
- Replace the PTC relay and move the wiring fixing point. In cases of local thermal damage of PTC replace the PTC core and connector.
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Jan 2023 R/2022/363
The High Pressure Electric Oil Pump within the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) may experience an internal fault
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The High-Pressure Electric Oil Pump within the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) may experience an internal fault.
- Remedy
- Upgrade the software of the Transmission Control Unit (TCU). In rare cases it may be necessary to also replace the transmission.
-
Nov 2022 R/2022/328
There is a risk the automatic gear shift lever could be moved out of Park without the foot brake pedal being applied. If this occurs and should the parking brake not be activated a vehicle rollaway could occur
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- Check operation of the gear shift lock mechanism and if found to be incorrect replace the Gear shift lock lever assembly.
Other Kia models
The most-tested Kia models in 2025, against the Sorento's 71.6% MOT pass rate.
Kia Sorento FAQs
How many Kia Sorentos are there in the UK?
40,259 Kia Sorentos were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 4,455 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Kia Sorento 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 71.6% first-time pass rate for the Kia Sorento across 36,418 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Kia Sorento had any recalls?
22 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Kia Sorento. The most recent was published in April 2026. 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 Sorento?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: suspension, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and brakes. 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 Sorento'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 a Sorento?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,548 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 October 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.