Kia Optima 2017: MOT failure rate for its age
15.9% of 17,735 MOT tests of the Kia Optima first registered in 2017 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 96.4 (95% CI 92.8–99.9; 100 = normal for this model at that age): close to other build years of the same model at the same age (within 5 points of normal).
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 15.9 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 17735 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 92.8–99.9) | 96.4 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 17735 |
| Rank among this model's 9 build years | 2 | of 9 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 17735 |
| Tested in 2024 | 3316 | tests | median 72,474 miles | 2024 | 3316 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2017 Kia Optima fail at each age?
Cars built in 2017 were tested at ages 3 to 7 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 | 4,331 | 10.7 | 9.8–11.6 | 12.8 | 83.6 |
| 4 | 3,383 | 16.4 | 15.2–17.7 | 16.9 | 97.2 |
| 5 | 3,377 | 16.3 | 15.1–17.6 | 16.3 | 99.7 |
| 6 | 3,328 | 18.3 | 17.1–19.7 | 17.5 | 104.5 |
| 7 | 3,316 | 19.3 | 18–20.6 | 20 | 96.4 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 17,735 (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 2017 Kia Optima?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2017 is tyres: 8.4 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 2017 were tested at ages 3 to 7.
| Failure group | Built 2017, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 8.4 | 8.9 | 1,519 |
| Brakes | 7.3 | 9.7 | 1,317 |
| Visibility | 6.9 | 6.9 | 1,238 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.9 | 4.3 | 338 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 0.6 | 0.8 | 109 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 17,995 (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 2017 compare with the years around it?
Among the 9 published build years of the Kia Optima, 2017 ranks 2 (1 = fails least for its age). 2016: index 84.5. 2018: index 102.4.
| 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 2017 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/2017/
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 2016 · 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