Kia Optima 2012: MOT failure rate for its age
35.3% of 4,496 MOT tests of the Kia Optima first registered in 2012 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 113.7 (95% CI 108.1–119.2; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2012 Kia Optima fails more often than other build years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 35.3 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 4496 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 108.1–119.2) | 113.7 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 4496 |
| Rank among this model's 9 build years | 8 | of 9 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 4496 |
| Tested in 2024 | 641 | tests | median 96,751 miles | 2024 | 641 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2012 Kia Optima fail at each age?
Cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 851 | 28.4 | 25.5–31.6 | 22.5 | 126.4 |
| 8 | 778 | 32 | 28.8–35.4 | 25.1 | 127.3 |
| 9 | 774 | 36.3 | 33–39.8 | 30.9 | 117.6 |
| 10 | 738 | 37.4 | 34–40.9 | 33.6 | 111.3 |
| 11 | 714 | 37.7 | 34.2–41.3 | 36.6 | 102.9 |
| 12 | 641 | 42 | 38.2–45.8 | 40.5 | 103.5 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 4,496 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2012 Kia Optima?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2012 is brakes: 27.2 items per 100 first tests, against 9.7 across all build years of the Kia Optima. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2012 were tested at ages 7 to 12.
| Failure group | Built 2012, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 27.2 | 9.7 | 1,221 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 14.3 | 4.3 | 645 |
| Suspension | 13.4 | 2.5 | 601 |
| Steering | 12.2 | 2 | 550 |
| Tyres | 9.6 | 8.9 | 432 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 4,496 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2012 compare with the years around it?
Among the 9 published build years of the Kia Optima, 2012 ranks 8 (1 = fails least for its age). 2013: index 108.6.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 113.7 | 108.1–119.2 | worse | 4,496 |
| 2013 | 108.6 | 100.1–117.1 | worse (rough estimate) | 2,137 |
| 2014 | 108.3 | 101.5–115.1 | worse (rough estimate) | 3,774 |
| 2015 | 101.3 | 94.3–108.2 | no different (rough estimate) | 3,802 |
| 2016 | 84.5 | 79.7–89.3 | better | 7,728 |
| 2017 | 96.4 | 92.8–99.9 | better | 17,735 |
| 2018 | 102.4 | 97.6–107.2 | no different | 11,007 |
| 2019 | 120.8 | 113.0–128.5 | worse | 5,161 |
| 2020 | 107.2 | 75.9–138.5 | no different (rough estimate) | 295 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 56,135 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Kia Optima 2012 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/kia-optima/2012/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Kia Optima 2013 · Kia Optima 2014 · Kia Optima 2015 · Kia Optima 2016 · Kia Optima 2017 · Kia Optima 2018 · Kia Optima 2019 · Kia Optima 2020 · Kia Optima in Norway · Kia Optima in Finland · Kia Optima in the Netherlands · Kia Optima by postcode area · Kia Optima body, chassis and structure failures · Kia Optima brakes failures · Kia Optima vehicle identification failures · Kia Optima lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Kia Optima noise, emissions and leaks failures · Kia Optima road wheels failures · Kia Optima seat belts and airbags failures · Kia Optima steering failures · Kia Optima suspension failures · Kia Optima tyres failures · Kia Optima visibility failures