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Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a car check

Is the Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a reliable? We analysed 889 real MOT tests across 442 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 889 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
86.1%
Typical Mileage
24,661mi
Annual Mileage
5,650mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a.

Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

78.3%
2023
89.2%
2022
86.4%
2021
94.3%
2020

Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 11
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 7

Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
3,199 mi/yr
Typical
5,650 mi/yr
Average
7,473 mi/yr
Heavy usage
9,522 mi/yr

Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2023 152 78.3% 19,613 44,742 60,026
2022 130 89.2% 13,336 22,032 42,180
2021 499 86.4% 14,444 23,616 42,570
2020 88 94.3% 12,654 20,003 31,096

How Long Does a Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a Last?

Based on 442 Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a vehicles on UK roads.

Average
2.9 years
Median
3.0 years

Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
24,661 mi
75th Percentile
45,285 mi
95th Percentile
77,673 mi
Max Recorded
109,323 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2020

94.3% MOT pass rate from 88 tests

Year to avoid
2023

78.3% MOT pass rate from 152 tests

The best year to buy a used Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a is 2020, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 94.3% across 88 tests. The 2023 model year has the lowest pass rate at 78.3% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a Compare?

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

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a THIS CAR 86.1% 889 24,661 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
Opel Frontera 68.3% 1,170 72,870 mi 29 yrs

Compared to the Kia Sportage (80.4% pass rate) and the Kia Picanto (77.1% pass rate), the Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a?

The Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.1% across 889 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.

A typical Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a owner drives around 5,650 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 3 MHEV S-a — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a reliable?
Based on 889 MOT tests, the Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a has a 86.1% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a do per year?
The typical Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a does around 5,650 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a?
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.
What is the best year to buy a Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Kia Rio 3 MHEV S-a is 2020 with a 94.3% pass rate across 88 tests.