Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 12,293 tests analysed

Kia Picanto 2012: reliability & common MOT faults

4,991 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2012 Kia Picanto in 2025. Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Position lamp (front) was the most common reason a 2012 Picanto failed its MOT — 19.6% of its failed first attempts.

First-attempt pass

59.4%

of 12,293 first tests (2025)

First tests

12,293

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

4,991

failed first-attempt tests

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

59.4%

of 12,293 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

66.1%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

12,293

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 13.0 yrs · median mileage 64,777 mi

vs 2024: -1.9 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 4,988 of 4,991 failed first attempts (99.9%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025 — the subset the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Seat belts — Condition (front) — 4.4% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 220 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 20× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. That is what makes it unusual for its class, which is a different question from what is most likely to fail; the buying checklist ranks by that. The full ranked list is in the table below.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Seat belts — Condition (front)
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems > Seat belts > Condition
 Front 220 ×20 4.4% Strong
Parking brake performance (rear)
Brakes > Brake performance > Parking brake performance > Rbt > Parking brake performance
 Rear 234 ×6.4 4.7% Strong
Rigid brake pipes (rear)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
 Rear 294 ×4.2 5.9% Likely
Rbt (sp)
Brakes > Brake performance > Parking brake efficiency (sp) > Rbt (sp)
 Any 754 ×4.0 15.1% Likely
Catalyst emissions
Noise, emissions and leaks > Exhaust emissions > Spark ignition > Catalyst emissions
 Any 529 ×3.5 10.6% Likely
Position lamp (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Position lamps > Position lamp
 Front 978 ×2.3 19.6% Possible

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

Wear patterns

Usage and mileage effects that often track road use rather than model design.

These patterns look like wear or usage effects rather than model-specific design faults. Tyres, brake friction material, and alignment-related defects often track mileage and road use.

Pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Brake discs (rear)
Brakes > Mechanical brake components > Brake discs and drums > Brake discs
 Rear 140 ×2.6 2.8% Wear
Tread depth (rear)
Tyres > Tread depth
 Rear 227 ×2.1 4.6% Wear
Note: These patterns are not treated as a model design fault in our common-faults ranking.

Advisories

Notes recorded at the test that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory notes recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
Seat belts — Condition (front)
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems > Seat belts > Condition
 Front 348 ×12 7.0% Strong
Side repeaters
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Side repeaters
 Any 41 ×6.2 0.8% Elevated
Rigid brake pipes (rear)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
 Rear 803 ×4.3 16.1% Likely
Service brake performance (rear)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Plate brake tester > Service brake performance
 Rear 81 ×3.5 1.6% Possible
Service brake performance (front)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Plate brake tester > Service brake performance
 Front 35 ×2.9 0.7% Possible
Flexible brake hoses (front)
Brakes > Flexible brake hoses
 Front 80 ×2.6 1.6% Elevated
Service brake imbalance (front)
Brakes > Brake performance > Service brake performance > Rbt > Service brake imbalance
 Front 29 ×2.5 0.6% Elevated
Pedal
Brakes > Service brake pedal or hand lever > Pedal
 Any 31 ×2.5 0.6% Elevated
Note: Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Nothing separates this year from the Picantos either side of it, so buy on the individual car. The checks below are the items that actually failed 2012 Picantos, commonest first.

Other Picanto years worth knowing about

Newer cars always pass more often, so a plain "best year" list would just rank by age. These are the years that beat or miss the trend their own neighbouring years set — the only age-adjusted signal this data supports.

Year vs the years either side First-attempt pass (rises with newer cars) First tests
2015 Picanto +1.6 pp better 73.7% 13,160
2016 Picanto -2.2 pp worse 74.7% 12,159

What to check on a 2012 Picanto

The items that failed 2012 Picantos most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Position lamp (front) — recorded on 19.6% of failed first attempts
  • Rbt (sp) — recorded on 15.1% of failed first attempts
  • Catalyst emissions — recorded on 10.6% of failed first attempts
  • Ball joint (front) — recorded on 9.5% of failed first attempts
  • Coil spring (front) — recorded on 8.8% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

Position lamp (front) was the most common reason a 2012 Picanto failed its MOT — 19.6% of its failed first attempts. In 2025, 59.4% of 12,293 first MOTs on the 2012 Kia Picanto passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 66.1%. Among 4,991 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Seat belts — Condition (front) appears more of…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2012 Kia Picantos most often at the first attempt were Position lamp (front) (19.6%), Rbt (sp) (15.1%) and Catalyst emissions (10.6%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the common-faults table answers.
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Seat belts — Condition (front) (4.4% of those tests; 220 observed failures; about 20× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Seat belts — Condition (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (4.4% of those tests; 220 observed failures; about 20× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault — age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2012 Kia Picanto include Seat belts — Condition (front), Parking brake performance (rear), Rigid brake pipes (rear). These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2012 Kia Picanto (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars — not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics — this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces — but does not remove — differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Check any vehicle’s MOT history

Full MOT history, mileage records, and reliability insights for any UK vehicle.

Run a free check