Used car guide

2016 Kia Carens: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2016 Kia Carenss, from 1,779 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,779MOT tests in 2025
66%pass first time (all 2016 cars: 75%)
8,200typical miles a year
7.1×the usual rate for link ball joint covers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2016 Kia Carenss than on all cars registered in 2016.

  • Link ball joint covers7.1× usual
    Kia Carens
    5% All 2016 cars
    0.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.3%, against 0.4% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Brake lights3.2× usual
    Kia Carens
    5.8% All 2016 cars
    1.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.7%, against 1.4% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Braking performance2.2× usual
    Kia Carens
    5.6% All 2016 cars
    2.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.6%, against 0.8% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

By area

The share of 2016 Kia Carens MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    35% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    34% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    23% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    15% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    5% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a Kia Carens?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20181,646Tyres 33%
20171,862Tyres 31%
20152,079Brakes 39%
20142,089Tyres 37%
20131,310Brakes 39%
2009854Suspension 58%
2008711Suspension 59%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2016 Kia Carenss registered in 2016. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score