Kia Sportage, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
441,895 Kia Sportages are licensed in the UK, the 14th most common model on the road. In 2025 they passed 77.1% of initial MOT tests, 4.8 points above the 72.3% UK average.
Looking at a specific Sportage? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Kia Sportage at the MOT
77.1% of 301,419 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Sportage 240th of 575 models. Kia Sportages aged 3 to 5 years passed 84.8% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 60.2%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Kia Sportage tests in 2025.
Where Sportages fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Kia Sportage tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (8.6%), brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (7.6%) and wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (5.6%).
The MOT page lists every common Sportage MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Sportage'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.27.1% of Sportage 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.17% of Sportage 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.15.6% of Sportage failure items
Kia Sportages in the UK
441,895 were licensed at the end of June 2026, more than any other Kia. The number licensed has grown 388% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- +388%from 90,463 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2019half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2019 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 47,774
- Declared off the road
- 8,0891.8% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Kia Sportages since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 90,463 |
| End of 2015 | 110,997 |
| End of 2016 | 148,824 |
| End of 2017 | 184,389 |
| End of 2018 | 216,240 |
| End of 2019 | 246,006 |
| End of 2020 | 259,168 |
| End of 2021 | 282,298 |
| End of 2022 | 310,569 |
| End of 2023 | 340,170 |
| End of 2024 | 380,151 |
| End of 2025 | 420,716 |
| End of June 2026 | 441,895 |
How old they are
Licensed Kia Sportages by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 2,901 were first used before 2009.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 45,157 | 47,774 |
| 2024 | 45,989 | 47,158 |
| 2023 | 35,083 | 36,101 |
| 2022 | 28,102 | 29,659 |
| 2021 | 26,601 | 27,608 |
| 2020 | 18,720 | 19,617 |
| 2019 | 32,361 | 34,476 |
| 2018 | 33,145 | 35,532 |
| 2017 | 36,144 | 39,634 |
| 2016 | 36,281 | 40,158 |
| 2015 | 20,581 | 23,069 |
| 2014 | 18,730 | |
| 2013 | 17,203 | |
| 2012 | 11,854 | |
| 2011 | 6,858 | |
| 2010 | 3,212 | |
| 2009 | 1,563 |
20,581 Sportages first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 89% of the 23,069 first registered that year.
Sportage engines and fuel
1.6 litre engines made up 55% of Kia Sportage MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.7 litre at 27%. Petrol accounts for 34% of licensed Sportages and diesel for 32%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 301,394 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed Sportages
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 151,763 | 34% |
| Diesel | 139,763 | 32% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 21,146 | 5% |
| Hybrid electric | 129,199 | 29% |
| Gas | 24 | <0.1% |
Kia Sportage recalls
17 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Kia Sportage. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Sportage 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
-
Jan 2025 R/2024/500
Kia Sportage Vacuum Pump Recall
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The vacuum pump drive gear may be damaged by a mechanical failure caused by high acceleration torque during the engine starting phase. If the pump fails an increase of the brake pedal force may be experienced while driving.
- Remedy
- Complete a software update of the engine ECU. The ECU upgrade reduces the initial load caused by the Mild Hybrid Starter Generator during engine startup (cranking acceleration).
-
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.
-
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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Jul 2023 R/2023/211
A combination of the instrument cluster software and electrical noise while the vehicle is starting may result in cluster booting errors
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- The software of the digital instrument cluster of your vehicle must be upgraded.
-
Feb 2023 R/2023/015
An electrical circuit within the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience a short circuit condition that results in excessive current
Defect and remedy
- Remedy
- Replace the fuses in the Junction Box with a lower rated version.
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May 2021 R/2021/122
The electrical circuit within the HECU may experience a short circuit condition
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The electrical circuit within the HECU may experience a short circuit condition that results in excessive current.
- Remedy
- Install new fuses on affected vehicles and software update for cars equipped with Electronic Parking Brake (EPB).
-
Feb 2021 R/2020/357
Vehicles may have brake fluid contamination caused by topping up with an incorrect fluid
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles there may be some contamination of the brake fluid due to topping up with an incorrect fluid.
- Remedy
- Replace the brake master cylinder and change the brake fluid on affected vehicles.
Sportage vs similar cars
Head-to-head comparisons on the same 2025 DVSA data.
Other Kia models
The most-tested Kia models in 2025, against the Sportage's 77.1% MOT pass rate.
Kia Sportage FAQs
How many Kia Sportages are there in the UK?
441,895 Kia Sportages were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 8,089 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Kia Sportage 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 77.1% first-time pass rate for the Kia Sportage across 301,419 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Kia Sportage had any recalls?
17 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Kia Sportage. 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 Sportage?
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 Sportage'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 Sportage?
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.