Used car guide

2023 Kia Niro: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2023 Kia Niros, from 3,587 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

3,587MOT tests in 2025
91%pass first time (all 2023 cars: 92%)
9,300typical miles a year
2×the usual rate for wipers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2023 Kia Niros than on all cars registered in 2023.

  • Wipers2× usual
    Kia Niro
    2.8% All 2023 cars
    1.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.5%, against 0.8% of all 2023 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £15–£60 our estimate

    At the viewing: Test the wipers and washers on every speed.

By area

The share of 2023 Kia Niro MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    16% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    5% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Lights and electrics
    4% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Brakes
    2% 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.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    1% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    1% of testsRough price £80–£250

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

Looking at a Kia Niro?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
202226,880Tyres 24%
202127,294Tyres 27%
202020,344Tyres 29%
201910,629Tyres 29%
20187,452Tyres 27%
20174,531Tyres 29%
20161,283Tyres 31%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2023 Kia Niros registered in 2023. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score