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Kia Sedona Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Kia Sedona car check

Is the Kia Sedona reliable? We analysed 571,888 real MOT tests across 40,502 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 571,888 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
67.7%
Typical Mileage
73,917mi
Annual Mileage
7,120mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
26yrs

The Kia Sedona is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm and brake pipe excessively corroded. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Kia Sedona.

Kia Sedona Number Plates

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

Kia Sedona MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Kia Sedona to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

76.6%
2012
76%
2011
75%
2010
72.1%
2009
70.1%
2008
70.2%
2007
68.9%
2006
68.3%
2005
67%
2004
65.2%
2003
64.4%
2002
63.8%
2001
61.6%
2000
60.9%
1999

Kia Sedona Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Kia Sedona fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 34,279
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 32,426
Brake pipe excessively corroded 27,555
parking brake recording little or no effort 26,462
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 16,446
Stop lamp not working 14,660
position lamp(s) not working 12,605
Registration plate lamp not working 11,918
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 11,182
Exhaust system not adequately supported 10,375

Kia Sedona Mileage — What's Normal?

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

Low usage
4,491 mi/yr
Typical
7,120 mi/yr
Average
8,232 mi/yr
Heavy usage
10,296 mi/yr

Kia Sedona MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Kia Sedona year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2012 2,320 76.6% 28,814 46,384 72,096
2011 13,500 76.0% 36,412 59,348 88,811
2010 17,879 75.0% 40,438 64,541 94,760
2009 15,131 72.1% 40,989 63,786 92,267
2008 40,276 70.1% 46,680 71,457 99,582
2007 52,071 70.2% 46,447 71,677 98,866
2006 65,653 68.9% 49,276 73,637 100,562
2005 81,273 68.3% 49,402 73,003 99,307
2004 106,674 67.0% 50,397 74,093 99,825
2003 78,621 65.2% 51,348 74,022 98,614
2002 44,754 64.4% 55,528 77,188 100,942
2001 30,050 63.8% 61,980 81,496 103,657
2000 19,236 61.6% 65,638 84,407 105,752
1999 4,079 60.9% 69,438 88,002 110,334

How Long Does a Kia Sedona Last?

Based on 40,502 Kia Sedona vehicles on UK roads.

Average
11.8 years
Median
12.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
26 years

Kia Sedona Mileage Distribution

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

Median
73,917 mi
75th Percentile
99,664 mi
95th Percentile
142,815 mi
Max Recorded
999,992 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Kia Sedona

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

Best year
2012

76.6% MOT pass rate from 2,320 tests

Year to avoid
1999

60.9% MOT pass rate from 4,079 tests

The best year to buy a used Kia Sedona is 2012, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 76.6% across 2,320 tests. The 1999 model year has the lowest pass rate at 60.9% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Kia Sedona Compare?

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

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Kia Sedona THIS CAR 67.7% 571,888 73,917 mi 26 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
Hyundai I40 79.5% 267,133 72,597 mi 15 yrs

Compared to the Kia Sportage (80.4% pass rate) and the Kia Picanto (77.1% pass rate), the Kia Sedona trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Kia Sedona?

The Kia Sedona has an overall MOT pass rate of 67.7% across 571,888 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Kia Sedona are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (34,279 recorded failures), tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (32,426), and brake pipe excessively corroded (27,555). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Kia Sedona owner drives around 7,120 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.

In terms of longevity, most Kia Sedona models stay on UK roads for around 26 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

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 Sedona — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Kia Sedona reliable?
Based on 571,888 MOT tests, the Kia Sedona has a 67.7% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Kia Sedona?
The most common MOT failures are parking brake: efficiency below requirements, tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and brake pipe excessively corroded. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Kia Sedona do per year?
The typical Kia Sedona does around 7,120 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Kia Sedona last?
Most Kia Sedona models stay on UK roads for around 26 years based on our analysis of 40,502 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Kia Sedona?
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 Sedona?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Kia Sedona is 2012 with a 76.6% pass rate across 2,320 tests.