Kia Optima 2016: MOT failure rate for its age
15.4% of 7,728 MOT tests of the Kia Optima first registered in 2016 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 84.5 (95% CI 79.7–89.3; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2016 Kia Optima fails less often than other build years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 15.4 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 7728 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 79.7–89.3) | 84.5 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 7728 |
| Rank among this model's 9 build years | 1 | of 9 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 7728 |
| Tested in 2024 | 1258 | tests | median 75,143 miles | 2024 | 1258 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2016 Kia Optima fail at each age?
Cars built in 2016 were tested at ages 3 to 8 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1,339 | 10.2 | 8.7–11.9 | 13.8 | 73.6 |
| 4 | 1,269 | 14.2 | 12.4–16.2 | 17 | 83.2 |
| 5 | 1,293 | 15.3 | 13.5–17.4 | 16.9 | 90.8 |
| 6 | 1,285 | 17.4 | 15.4–19.5 | 17.5 | 99.4 |
| 7 | 1,284 | 16.5 | 14.6–18.6 | 20.1 | 82.1 |
| 8 | 1,258 | 18.9 | 16.9–21.2 | 24.1 | 78.5 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,728 (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 2016 Kia Optima?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2016 is tyres: 7.9 items per 100 first tests, against 8.9 across all build years of the Kia Optima. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2016 were tested at ages 3 to 8.
| Failure group | Built 2016, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 7.9 | 8.9 | 607 |
| Brakes | 6.5 | 9.7 | 502 |
| Visibility | 5.4 | 6.9 | 415 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2.3 | 4.3 | 175 |
| Suspension | 1.3 | 2.5 | 100 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,728 (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 2016 compare with the years around it?
Among the 9 published build years of the Kia Optima, 2016 ranks 1 (1 = fails least for its age). 2015: index 101.3. 2017: index 96.4.
| 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 2016 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/2016/
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 2012 · Kia Optima 2013 · Kia Optima 2014 · Kia Optima 2015 · 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