What are the main MOT differences between KIA Sportage and Hyundai Tucson?

The KIA Sportage has a 21.2% overall MOT failure rate (1,075,027 tests) while the Hyundai Tucson has 16.3% (499,037 tests). The top failure area for the KIA Sportage is brakes, while for the Hyundai Tucson it is brakes.

Should I buy a KIA Sportage or Hyundai Tucson?

From an MOT reliability standpoint, the Hyundai Tucson has a lower failure rate. However, MOT pass rates are just one factor — also consider insurance costs, fuel economy, running costs and personal preference. Use AutoSafe's free prediction tool to check a specific vehicle by registration.

KIA Sportage vs Hyundai Tucson — MOT Failure Rate Comparison

Q: Which is more reliable, KIA Sportage or Hyundai Tucson?

Based on 1,574,064 MOT tests, the Hyundai Tucson is more reliable with a 4.9 percentage point lower failure rate. The KIA Sportage has a 21.2% failure rate while the Hyundai Tucson has 16.3%.

KIA Sportage

21.2%

failure rate from 1,075,027 tests

6.8pp below UK avg (28%)

Hyundai Tucson

16.3%

failure rate from 499,037 tests

11.7pp below UK avg (28%)

Verdict: The Hyundai Tucson is more reliable based on MOT data, with a 4.9 percentage point lower failure rate than the KIA Sportage.

Failure Rate by Vehicle Age

How the KIA Sportage and Hyundai Tucson compare across different age groups:

Age	KIA Sportage	Hyundai Tucson	Difference
0-2 years	13.1%	11.2%	Hyundai Tucson +1.8pp
3-5 years	14.8%	13.8%	Hyundai Tucson +1.0pp
6-10 years	23.8%	18.7%	Hyundai Tucson +5.0pp
11-15 years	40.0%	43.3%	KIA Sportage +3.3pp
15+ years	50.0%	49.1%	Hyundai Tucson +0.9pp

Component Risk Comparison

Side-by-side breakdown of which MOT failure areas each model is weaker in:

KIA Sportage Component Hyundai Tucson

3.6%

Brakes

2.7%

2.9%

Tyres

2.1%

2.6%

Lamps & Electrics

1.6%

2.3%

Suspension

1.1%

2.2%

Visibility

2.2%

0.9%

Steering

0.4%

Body & Chassis

0.4%

Component	KIA Sportage	Hyundai Tucson	Better
Brakes	3.6%	2.7%	Hyundai Tucson
Tyres	2.9%	2.1%	Hyundai Tucson
Lamps & Electrics	2.6%	1.6%	Hyundai Tucson
Suspension	2.3%	1.1%	Hyundai Tucson
Visibility	2.2%	2.2%	Hyundai Tucson
Steering	0.9%	0.4%	Hyundai Tucson
Body & Chassis	0.4%	0.4%	Hyundai Tucson

Which Is More Reliable: KIA Sportage or Hyundai Tucson?

Based on official DVSA MOT test records covering 1,574,064 tests between these two models, the Hyundai Tucson comes out ahead with a 4.9 percentage point lower overall failure rate. The Hyundai Tucson fails 16.3% of the time compared to the KIA Sportage's 21.2%.

However, the gap between these models varies by vehicle age. Younger examples of both models tend to have more similar pass rates, while differences can become more pronounced as vehicles age and accumulate wear. Component-level data shows each model has different weak spots — the KIA Sportage's top risk area is brakes while the Hyundai Tucson's is brakes. Knowing your model's specific weaknesses helps you target pre-MOT checks where they matter most.

Explore Each Model in Detail

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Data methodology: Failure rates are weighted averages across all mileage bands, calculated from official DVSA MOT test records. Only age/mileage combinations with 100+ tests are included. Component risks represent the probability of failure in each specific area. Data covers 142 million MOT tests across the UK. Comparisons are based on aggregate statistics and individual vehicle condition will vary.

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