Used car guide

2015 Kia Venga: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the Kia Venga first registered in 2015: we looked at the 6,135 MOTs these cars had during 2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

6,135MOTs of 2015 cars, done in 2025
75%pass first time (all 2015 cars: 72%)
5,200typical miles a year
2.8×the usual rate for sidelights

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2015 Kia Venga?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2015 Kia Venga than on all cars registered in 2015.

  • Sidelights2.8× usual
    Kia Venga
    5.4% All 2015 cars
    1.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.2%, against 1.6% of all 2015 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.

  • Brake lights2.2× usual
    Kia Venga
    4.8% All 2015 cars
    2.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.6%, against 1.7% of all 2015 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.

  • Flexible brake hoses3.6× usual
    Kia Venga
    2.5% All 2015 cars
    0.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.1% of all 2015 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £50–£200 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look for cracked or bulging rubber hoses behind the wheels and in the engine bay.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 1.5% here, against 7.1% of all 2015 cars. Coil springs: 1.1% here, against 5.4% of all 2015 cars.

Common 2015 Kia Venga MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2015 Kia Venga MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    30% 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.

  • Brakes
    27% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    17% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Suspension
    14% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    3% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Known faults on the 2015 Kia Venga

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.

  • Throttle delay and power loss (1.4 CRDi diesel)

    1.4 CRDi diesel

    The 1.4 diesel can delay before accelerating and lose power. The fix is a software update, which some cars haven't had. Injectors can also fail and chatter.

    At the viewing: Accelerate from low speed and feel for a delay, and ask a Kia dealer to check the update from the VIN.

    Source: CarGurus UK: Kia Venga (2009-2019) review

  • Starter motors, door locks and front springs

    All engines

    Starter motors and door lock actuators are starting to fail, and broken front springs are becoming more common.

    At the viewing: Start it several times, test each door lock, and look behind the front wheels for broken springs.

    Source: CarGurus UK: Kia Venga (2009-2019) review

  • Clunky four-speed automatic and stiff gear lever

    1.6 petrol automatic

    The earlier four-speed auto is clunky, and some gear levers stick from a stretched cable. The six-speed fitted after the 2015 facelift is much better.

    At the viewing: Drive it and move the lever through every position.

    Source: CarGurus UK: Kia Venga (2009-2019) review

  • Rust on the rear door tops

    All engines

    Rust can start under the seal at the top of the rear doors.

    At the viewing: Open the rear doors and look under the seal.

    Source: CarGurus UK: Kia Venga (2009-2019) review

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2015 Kia Venga

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Has the throttle software update been done?
  2. Any recent work on the sidelights? (Flagged at MOT 2.8× as often on the 2015 Kia Venga as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the brake lights? (Flagged at MOT 2.2× as often on the 2015 Kia Venga as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Any recent work on the flexible brake hoses? (Flagged at MOT 3.6× as often on the 2015 Kia Venga as on other cars the same age.)
  5. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Kia Venga?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Kia Venga compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20192,636Tyres 27%
20183,666Tyres 29%
20175,902Tyres 28%
20165,657Tyres 29%
20145,339Suspension 38%
20135,515Suspension 43%
20124,813Suspension 48%
20114,094Suspension 52%
20102,673Suspension 53%
2009–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2025, counting the MOTs of Kia Venga cars first registered in 2015. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score