What are the main MOT differences between Nissan Qashqai and KIA Sportage?

The Nissan Qashqai has a 27.7% overall MOT failure rate (2,299,249 tests) while the KIA Sportage has 21.2% (1,075,027 tests). The top failure area for the Nissan Qashqai is suspension, while for the KIA Sportage it is brakes.

Should I buy a Nissan Qashqai or KIA Sportage?

From an MOT reliability standpoint, the KIA Sportage 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.

Nissan Qashqai vs KIA Sportage — MOT Failure Rate Comparison

Q: Which is more reliable, Nissan Qashqai or KIA Sportage?

Based on 3,374,276 MOT tests, the KIA Sportage is more reliable with a 6.5 percentage point lower failure rate. The Nissan Qashqai has a 27.7% failure rate while the KIA Sportage has 21.2%.

Nissan Qashqai

27.7%

failure rate from 2,299,249 tests

0.3pp below UK avg (28%)

KIA Sportage

21.2%

failure rate from 1,075,027 tests

6.8pp below UK avg (28%)

Verdict: The KIA Sportage is more reliable based on MOT data, with a 6.5 percentage point lower failure rate than the Nissan Qashqai.

Failure Rate by Vehicle Age

How the Nissan Qashqai and KIA Sportage compare across different age groups:

Age	Nissan Qashqai	KIA Sportage	Difference
0-2 years	8.7%	13.1%	Nissan Qashqai +4.3pp
3-5 years	13.1%	14.8%	Nissan Qashqai +1.7pp
6-10 years	27.6%	23.8%	KIA Sportage +3.8pp
11-15 years	51.6%	40.0%	KIA Sportage +11.6pp
15+ years	56.4%	50.0%	KIA Sportage +6.3pp

Component Risk Comparison

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

Nissan Qashqai Component KIA Sportage

5.6%

Suspension

2.3%

4.7%

Lamps & Electrics

2.6%

3.6%

Brakes

3.6%

2.7%

Tyres

2.9%

2.5%

Steering

0.9%

2.4%

Visibility

2.2%

1.9%

Body & Chassis

0.4%

Component	Nissan Qashqai	KIA Sportage	Better
Suspension	5.6%	2.3%	KIA Sportage
Lamps & Electrics	4.7%	2.6%	KIA Sportage
Brakes	3.6%	3.6%	Nissan Qashqai
Tyres	2.7%	2.9%	Nissan Qashqai
Steering	2.5%	0.9%	KIA Sportage
Visibility	2.4%	2.2%	KIA Sportage
Body & Chassis	1.9%	0.4%	KIA Sportage

Which Is More Reliable: Nissan Qashqai or KIA Sportage?

Based on official DVSA MOT test records covering 3,374,276 tests between these two models, the KIA Sportage comes out ahead with a 6.5 percentage point lower overall failure rate. The KIA Sportage fails 21.2% of the time compared to the Nissan Qashqai's 27.7%.

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 Nissan Qashqai's top risk area is suspension while the KIA Sportage'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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