Kia Sportage vs Nissan Qashqai: which fails its MOT less?
Allowing for age, the Kia Sportage fails its MOT less often than the Nissan Qashqai.
- less often than the Nissan Qashqai, at the same age
- 11.0%less often than the Nissan Qashqai, at the same age
MOTs passed in 2024: Kia Sportage 79.7%, Nissan Qashqai 73.1%
Both fail more often than normal for their age.
Data: DVSA MOT results · 2024 · 814,281 tests
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Which fails less for its age?
Allowing for age, the Kia Sportage fails less often: MOT Risk Index 104.9 against 118.2 (100 = normal for its age; difference 13.3, 95% CI 12.5–14.1).
Both fail more often than normal for their age.
| Measure | Kia Sportage | Nissan Qashqai | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passed at the first attempt, % | 75.7 | 68.5 | 2024 |
| MOT Risk Index (100 = normal) | 104.9 | 118.2 | 2024 |
| 95% interval of the index | 104.2–105.6 | 117.7–118.6 | 2024 |
| Rank among 761 models (1 = fails least for its age) | 508 | 633 | 2024 |
| First tests | 257,674 | 556,607 | 2024 |
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After defects were fixed at the test centre
79.7% of Kia Sportage tests and 73.1% of Nissan Qashqai tests passed, including defects fixed during the test. This is a different outcome from passing at the first attempt.
What explains the difference?
The clearest difference is suspension: against its own class and age, the Kia Sportage runs −0.0 items per 100 tests and the Nissan Qashqai +9.6, so the Kia Sportage has 9.6 fewer per 100 tests (95% interval 9.6 to 9.7).
Each model is compared with its own class and age; the fleets can differ in mileage and use.
More detail
Dangerous defects and advisory items
| Measure | Kia Sportage | Nissan Qashqai |
|---|---|---|
| Dangerous defects per 100 tests | 11.6 | 12.2 |
| Advisory items per 100 tests | 110.8 | 127.0 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data, 2019–2024. A test can record several items. CSV
At what age does one of them fail more?
They change places at age 7: the difference is clear at 14 of 15 ages, and which fails less depends on the age of the car. Across the 4 yearly tests from age 4 to 7, the gaps add up to 1.9 extra failed tests per 100 for the Kia Sportage (a sum of yearly rates, not the chance of one car failing).
| Age | Difference, pp | 95% interval | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | +4.2 | +3.9 to +4.5 | Nissan Qashqai fails less |
| 4 | +2.5 | +2.2 to +2.8 | Nissan Qashqai fails less |
| 5 | +1.5 | +1.1 to +1.8 | Nissan Qashqai fails less |
| 6 | −0.1 | −0.5 to +0.2 | not distinguishable |
| 7 | −1.9 | −2.3 to −1.6 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 8 | −3.7 | −4.2 to −3.3 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 9 | −5.7 | −6.2 to −5.1 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 10 | −8.8 | −9.4 to −8.2 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 11 | −10.1 | −10.8 to −9.3 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 12 | −11.4 | −12.3 to −10.6 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 13 | −10.9 | −12.0 to −9.9 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 14 | −8.8 | −10.1 to −7.6 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 15 | −7.9 | −9.4 to −6.3 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 16 | −6.0 | −8.0 to −4.1 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 17 | −5.4 | −8.0 to −2.8 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| Age band | Ages included | Kia Sportage, % | Nissan Qashqai, % | Difference, pp | 95% interval | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | 3–5 | 15.4 | 12.8 | +2.6 | +2.5 to +2.7 | Nissan Qashqai fails less |
| 6–10 | 6–10 | 24.0 | 28.6 | −4.7 | −4.8 to −4.5 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| 11+ | 11–17 | 41.8 | 51.7 | −9.9 | −10.2 to −9.7 | Kia Sportage fails less |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 4,189,287 (initial tests at shared ages) · Method: difference of two proportions per age, Bonferroni-corrected for 15 ages; age bands pool the published ages with an unadjusted 95% interval, and the same car can appear at more than one age, so that interval is somewhat narrow · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Where do their MOT failures diverge?
The clearest difference is suspension: against its own class and age, the Kia Sportage runs −0.0 items per 100 tests and the Nissan Qashqai +9.6, so the Kia Sportage has 9.6 fewer per 100 tests (95% interval 9.6 to 9.7).
| Component group | Kia Sportage vs its class | Nissan Qashqai vs its class | Gap, Kia Sportage minus Nissan Qashqai | 95% interval | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | −0.0 | +9.6 | −9.6 | −9.7 to −9.6 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | −2.1 | +2.8 | −4.9 | −4.9 to −4.8 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| Body, chassis, structure | −0.8 | +3.4 | −4.1 | −4.2 to −4.1 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| Steering | +2.0 | +5.9 | −4.0 | −4.0 to −3.9 | Kia Sportage fails less |
| Brakes | +5.1 | +2.8 | +2.3 | +2.3 to +2.4 | Nissan Qashqai fails less |
| Tyres | +0.5 | −1.4 | +1.9 | +1.8 to +2.0 | Nissan Qashqai fails less |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 4,211,999 (initial tests) · Method: each model's failure items per 100 tests against the rate expected for its own class and age; Poisson interval; the age standard leaves the model out and is treated as fixed; items in the same test are treated as independent, so the interval is slightly narrow · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If one fails, which is more likely to fail again?
A failure on the Nissan Qashqai carries 5.8 percentage points more extra risk of failing again than on the Kia Sportage.
| Measure | Kia Sportage | Nissan Qashqai |
|---|---|---|
| After a failed test, % | 27.0 | 36.5 |
| After a passed test, % | 20.6 | 24.3 |
| Extra risk carried by a failure, pp | 6.4 | 12.2 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 209,267 (tests after a fail) · Method: test chains of the same vehicles; cars sold or scrapped after a fail drop out · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What do six years of MOTs show about the two?
The biggest gap in advisories turning into fails is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 18.8% on the Kia Sportage against 31.8% on the Nissan Qashqai failed on the same item at the next MOT.
| Component | Kia Sportage | Nissan Qashqai | Difference, pp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 18.8 | 31.8 | −12.9 |
| Suspension | 19.2 | 29.0 | −9.8 |
| Steering | 15.7 | 25.1 | −9.4 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 15.6 | 23.5 | −7.9 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 3.2 | 3.5 | −0.3 |
| Brakes | 12.7 | 12.4 | +0.3 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.1 | 4.8 | +0.3 |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 5.0 | 5.2 | −0.3 |
| Tyres | 8.3 | 8.0 | +0.3 |
| Visibility | 10.3 | 10.2 | +0.1 |
| Measure | Kia Sportage | Nissan Qashqai |
|---|---|---|
| Repaired and passed the same day | 46.2% | 45.3% |
| Passed 1–10 days later | 51.4% | 52.1% |
| Median retest delay | 1.0 days | 1.0 days |
| Failures per 10,000 miles | 0.319 | 0.426 |
| Three-test clean streak | 35.9% | 32.9% |
| Same advisory repeated 3+ times | 26.0% | 33.4% |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,510,451 (tracked advisories) · Method: same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT; common publishable components only · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Recalls, other countries and running costs, side by side
DVSA lists 20 recall campaigns matched to the Kia Sportage and 25 to the Nissan Qashqai; more campaigns do not by themselves mean a less reliable car. Abroad, compare each model with that country's own average, because pass rates do not carry across rulebooks. Repair bills are catalogue estimates, not quotes.
| Measure | Kia Sportage | Nissan Qashqai |
|---|---|---|
| DVSA recall campaigns listed | 20 | 25 |
| Finland Katsastus: fails, % (national average 26.3%) | 34.0 (7,630 inspections) | 28.6 (36,002 inspections) |
| Netherlands APK: fails, % (national average 50.8%) | 51.0 (28,608 inspections) | 49.2 (72,943 inspections) |
| Norway PKK: fails, % (national average 33.7%) | 36.0 (6,944 inspections) | 37.5 (19,555 inspections) |
| Expected MOT repair bill, £ (estimate) | £49 | £79 |
| Repair bill range, £ (catalogue range, not a 95% interval) | £49–£92 | £79–£150 |
Source: DVSA vehicle recalls register (OGL v3.0); Statens vegvesen PKK (CC BY 4.0), Traficom Katsastus (CC BY 4.0), RDW APK (CC0), adapted; UK repair price catalogue · Window: register as published; inspections 2024 · n = 171,682 (inspections abroad) · Method: recall campaigns matched by make and model, licensed-fleet denominator where available; abroad, samples below 500 suppressed and each model set against that country's own average, with no difference taken across countries; repair bill = chance of failing each item × its most common UK repair price, a catalogue estimate · Updated: 25 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV · licences and full notice
How to cite this comparison
MOT Risk Index (2026). Kia Sportage vs Nissan Qashqai: MOT statistics 2024 (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 25 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/compare/kia-sportage-vs-nissan-qashqai/
How the MOT Risk Index and every figure on this page are calculated: methodology.
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Kia Sportage vs Nissan Qashqai: quick answers
Is the Kia Sportage or the Nissan Qashqai more reliable?
Allowing for age, the Kia Sportage fails less often: MOT Risk Index 104.9 against 118.2 (100 = normal for its age; difference 13.3, 95% CI 12.5–14.1).
Does the Kia Sportage or the Nissan Qashqai fail more MOTs?
24.3% of Kia Sportage first tests and 31.6% of Nissan Qashqai first tests failed in 2024. These raw rates do not allow for age; the MOT Risk Index does.
Which should I buy, the Kia Sportage or the Nissan Qashqai?
If MOT reliability decides it, the evidence favours the Kia Sportage. Still check the individual car's MOT history: these figures describe whole model populations.