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Kia Rio 16V Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Kia Rio 16V car check

Is the Kia Rio 16V reliable? We analysed 885 real MOT tests across 174 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 885 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
81.6%
Typical Mileage
78,971mi
Annual Mileage
4,785mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Kia Rio 16V is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Kia Rio 16V.

Kia Rio 16V Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Kia Rio 16V. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Kia Rio 16V Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Kia Rio 16V owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
2,653 mi/yr
Typical
4,785 mi/yr
Average
5,409 mi/yr
Heavy usage
7,476 mi/yr

Kia Rio 16V Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Kia Rio 16V MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
78,971 mi
75th Percentile
100,122 mi
95th Percentile
135,840 mi
Max Recorded
789,734 mi

How Does the Kia Rio 16V Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Kia Rio 16V THIS CAR 81.6% 885 78,971 mi — yrs
Kia Sportage 80.4% 2,634,551 53,679 mi 26 yrs
Kia Picanto 77.1% 2,626,043 39,084 mi 22 yrs
Kia Ceed 76.1% 1,665,385 60,630 mi 19 yrs
Suzuki Gsxs 125 AM0 84.4% 295 9,579 mi — yrs

Compared to the Kia Sportage (80.4% pass rate) and the Kia Picanto (77.1% pass rate), the Kia Rio 16V outperforms both on MOT reliability.

Found a Kia Rio 16V you like?

Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.

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Should you buy a used Kia Rio 16V?

The Kia Rio 16V has an overall MOT pass rate of 81.6% across 885 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

A typical Kia Rio 16V owner drives around 4,785 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Kia Rio 16V — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Kia Rio 16V reliable?
Based on 885 MOT tests, the Kia Rio 16V has a 81.6% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Kia Rio 16V?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Kia Rio 16V do per year?
The typical Kia Rio 16V does around 4,785 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Kia Rio 16V last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Kia Rio 16V?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.