Used car guide

2021 Kia Sorento diesel: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the diesel Kia Sorento first registered in 2021 (diesel cars only): we looked at the 932 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

932MOTs of 2021 diesel cars, done in 2023–2025
86%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
9,200typical miles a year
2.4×the usual rate for brake pads

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2021 Kia Sorento diesel?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2021 Kia Sorento diesel than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Brake pads2.4× usual
    Kia Sorento
    14.4% All 2021 cars
    6.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 1.1% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £75–£175 (one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.

Better than most

Tyre condition: 4% here, against 10.3% of all 2021 cars.

Common 2021 Kia Sorento diesel MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2021 Kia Sorento diesel MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    20% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    17% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    8% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    4% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Suspension
    4% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2021 Kia Sorento diesel

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the brake pads? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the 2021 Kia Sorento diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Kia Sorento?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Kia Sorento compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023380Tyres 13%
20222,317Tyres 21%
20203,510Tyres 25%
20198,154Tyres 28%
20188,128Tyres 28%
20179,237Tyres 29%
20169,310Tyres 30%
201511,816Tyres 30%
20148,609Suspension 35%
20136,278Suspension 40%
20125,595Suspension 48%
20114,756Suspension 52%
20105,419Suspension 54%
20093,743Brakes 47%
20082,705Suspension 51%
20073,618Suspension 49%
20065,307Suspension 50%
20052,879Suspension 48%
20041,680Brakes 51%
2003526Suspension 50%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Kia Sorento cars first registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score