Does the Kia Optima fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?

The Kia Optima records 4.34 lamps, reflectors and electrics failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 5.73 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−1.39, 95% interval −1.58 to −1.19). It ranks 364 of 729 models on lamps, reflectors and electrics (1 = most failures above expected).

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on lamps, reflectors and electrics · check a Kia Optima by registration

What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?

The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Kia Optima is “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”, recorded 661 times in 2019–2024.

Kia Optima: most frequent lamps, reflectors and electrics defect wordings, 2019–2024 (30+ items each)
DVSA defect wording	Items	Per 100 tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources	661	1.16
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements	267	0.47
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED	184	0.32
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	175	0.31
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	136	0.24

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 57,208 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

Does the Kia Optima fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?

What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?

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