2010 Kia Sportage: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2010 Kia Sportages, from 3,635 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

3,635MOT tests in 2025

57%pass first time (all 2010 cars: 59%)

7,000typical miles a year

1.7×the usual rate for suspension arm bushes and joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2010 Kia Sportages than on all cars registered in 2010.

Suspension arm bushes and joints1.7× usual

Kia Sportage
19.2% All 2010 cars
11%

Failed outright at MOT: 5.1%, against 2.2% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.
Sub-frame1.9× usual

Kia Sportage
13.3% All 2010 cars
7%

Failed outright at MOT: 1.5%, against 0.4% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.
Brake pads1.6× usual

Kia Sportage
14.8% All 2010 cars
9.1%

Failed outright at MOT: 2.8%, against 2.2% of all 2010 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £75–£175 (one axle) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.
Ball joint1.8× usual

Kia Sportage
11.4% All 2010 cars
6.5%

Failed outright at MOT: 6.2%, against 3.4% of all 2010 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.
Anti-roll bar link joints2× usual

Kia Sportage
8.1% All 2010 cars
4%

Failed outright at MOT: 2.5%, against 1.5% of all 2010 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.

Better than most

Rigid brake pipes: 1% here, against 6.8% of all 2010 cars. Shock absorbers: 2.1% here, against 7.8% of all 2010 cars.

By area

The share of 2010 Kia Sportage MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

Suspension

52% 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.
Brakes

37% 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

33% 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.
Lights and electrics

29% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

14% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.
Wipers, windscreen and mirrors

12% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

Known faults

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

Brake light switch recall
Built up to Sept 2011
Cars built up to September 2011 were recalled for a brake light switch that could affect stability control, cruise control and automatic gear selection.

At the viewing: Ask a Kia dealer to check the VIN.

Source: Auto Express: used Kia Sportage Mk3 buyer's guide
Loss of power (1.7 CRDi)
1.7 CRDi diesel
Some 1.7 diesels lose power. Low coolant is a common cause; a fuel filter can also help.

At the viewing: Check the coolant level and look for leaks.

Source: Auto Express: used Kia Sportage Mk3 buyer's guide

Looking at a Kia Sportage?

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Other years

Year	MOT tests	Most flagged
2023	1,712	Tyres 12%
2022	29,340	Tyres 19%
2021	26,918	Tyres 26%
2020	18,964	Tyres 29%
2019	33,018	Tyres 29%
2018	33,673	Tyres 31%
2017	36,407	Tyres 31%
2016	36,617	Tyres 31%
2015	20,627	Tyres 33%
2014	18,683	Brakes 35%
2013	17,285	Suspension 44%
2012	12,095	Suspension 47%
2011	7,113	Suspension 50%
2009	1,838	Suspension 54%
2008	1,116	Suspension 55%
2007	934	Suspension 57%
2006	803	Suspension 61%
2005	839	Suspension 57%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2010 Kia Sportages registered in 2010. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score