Kia Rio 2003: MOT failure rate for its age
52.4% of 2,141 MOT tests of the Kia Rio first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 101.9 (95% CI 95.9–107.8; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2003 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age. This is a rough estimate from a smaller sample.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 52.4 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 2141 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 95.9–107.8) | 101.9 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 2141 |
| Rank among this model's 19 build years | 11 | of 19 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 2141 |
| Tested in 2024 | 155 | tests | median 67,527 miles | 2024 | 155 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2003 Kia Rio fail at each age?
Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 854 | 53 | 49.7–56.4 | 54.5 | 97.4 |
| 17 | 569 | 51.5 | 47.4–55.6 | 50.2 | 102.5 |
| 18 | 397 (rough estimate) | 53.9 | 49–58.7 | 49.6 | 108.6 |
| 19 | 321 (rough estimate) | 50.2 | 44.7–55.6 | 47.5 | 105.7 |
| 20 | 227 (rough estimate) | 51.5 | 45.1–58 | not available | not available |
| 21 | 155 (rough estimate) | 49 | 41.3–56.8 | not available | not available |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,523 (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 2003 Kia Rio?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 46.5 items per 100 first tests, against 15.2 across all build years of the Kia Rio. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.
| Failure group | Built 2003, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 46.5 | 15.2 | 1,172 |
| Suspension | 46.5 | 14.1 | 1,172 |
| Brakes | 34.8 | 12.9 | 878 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 33.8 | 3.1 | 854 |
| Visibility | 15.6 | 9.7 | 393 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,523 (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 2003 compare with the years around it?
Among the 19 published build years of the Kia Rio, 2003 ranks 11 (1 = fails least for its age). 2002: index 92.8. 2004: index 101.2.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 92.8 | 83.9–101.6 | no different (rough estimate) | 880 |
| 2003 | 101.9 | 95.9–107.8 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,141 |
| 2004 | 101.2 | 96.7–105.7 | no different (rough estimate) | 3,833 |
| 2005 | 102.6 | 98.9–106.2 | no different | 6,028 |
| 2006 | 102.9 | 99.9–105.8 | no different | 9,424 |
| 2007 | 103.6 | 100.8–106.4 | worse | 10,651 |
| 2008 | 104.7 | 102.4–107.0 | worse | 16,544 |
| 2009 | 100.2 | 98.6–101.8 | no different | 34,765 |
| 2010 | 102.0 | 100.5–103.5 | worse | 41,708 |
| 2011 | 106.8 | 105.2–108.4 | worse | 44,891 |
| 2012 | 105.9 | 104.4–107.3 | worse | 56,743 |
| 2013 | 107.8 | 106.3–109.3 | worse | 61,758 |
| 2014 | 101.3 | 99.8–102.7 | no different | 67,438 |
| 2015 | 88.7 | 87.3–90.2 | better | 68,841 |
| 2016 | 96.3 | 94.3–98.2 | better | 53,554 |
| 2017 | 82.9 | 80.7–85.0 | better | 42,255 |
| 2018 | 83.2 | 80.1–86.2 | better | 23,017 |
| 2019 | 88.7 | 84.5–92.9 | better | 14,644 |
| 2020 | 98.2 | 91.2–105.2 | no different | 6,764 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 565,879 (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 Rio 2003 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-rio/2003/
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 Rio 2002 · Kia Rio 2004 · Kia Rio 2005 · Kia Rio 2006 · Kia Rio 2007 · Kia Rio 2008 · Kia Rio 2009 · Kia Rio 2010 · Kia Rio 2011 · Kia Rio 2012 · Kia Rio 2013 · Kia Rio 2014 · Kia Rio 2015 · Kia Rio 2016 · Kia Rio 2017 · Kia Rio 2018 · Kia Rio 2019 · Kia Rio 2020 · Kia Rio in Norway · Kia Rio in Finland · Kia Rio in the Netherlands · Kia Rio by postcode area · Kia Rio body, chassis and structure failures · Kia Rio brakes failures · Kia Rio vehicle identification failures · Kia Rio lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Kia Rio noise, emissions and leaks failures · Kia Rio road wheels failures · Kia Rio seat belts and airbags failures · Kia Rio steering failures · Kia Rio suspension failures · Kia Rio tyres failures · Kia Rio visibility failures