Car
Kia Sportage
83.3%
pass rate across 925,209 tests
80.3% first-time pass rate
Kia Sportage vs Nissan Qashqai
The two cars compared on 3,014,804 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
Car
Nissan Qashqai
78.9%
pass rate across 2,089,595 tests
73.8% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Kia Sportage has the stronger MOT record
Across 3,014,804 tests, the Kia Sportage has the stronger first-time record: 80.3% against 73.8%, a 6.5-point gap. On all MOTs the Kia Sportage is ahead at 83.3% versus 78.9%. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Kia Sportage is −1.0 points against its expected rate, the Nissan Qashqai −3.2. A typical repair bill is similar: £32–£81 for the Kia Sportage and £26–£72 for the Nissan Qashqai; at their pass rates that is roughly £539–£1,359 versus £556–£1,516 per 100 tests.
- First-time pass: 80.3% vs 73.8%.
- All MOTs: 83.3% vs 78.9%.
- Like-for-like: −1.0 vs −3.2 points.
- Typical repair bill: £32–£81 vs £26–£72.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 74.8% vs 70.1%.
| Measure | Sportage | Qashqai |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 925,209 | 2,089,595 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 83.3% stronger figure | 78.9% |
| First-time pass rate | 80.3% stronger figure | 73.8% |
| Against the UK average | +2.3 pts stronger figure | −2.1 pts |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −1.0 pts stronger figure | −3.2 pts |
| Average mileage at test | 73,544 mi | 74,565 mi |
| Model years on record | 2003–2024 (21) | 2006–2023 (18) |
| Best model year | 2024 · 95.9% | 2023 · 94.7% |
| Worst model year | 2007 · 67.0% | 2009 · 65.8% |
| Typical repair bill | £32–£81 | £26–£72 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £539–£1,359 stronger figure | £556–£1,516 |
| Main fuel | Diesel 57% | Diesel 50% |
| Variants recorded | 9 | 12 |
A ✓ marks the stronger figure in each row. It is a comparison between the two cars, not a judgement against the national average.
What goes wrong most often
The most common priced failures on each model, as a share of all its tests. Repair costs are estimates from UK parts data, not quotes.
Sportage
- Child seat fitted, preventing full inspection 4.3% £20–£80
Qashqai
- Track rod end excessive play 8.2% £18–£45
- Ball joint excessively worn 7.4% £18–£45
- Child seat fitted, preventing full inspection 4.3% £20–£80
- Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated 4.3% £18–£45
Year by year
The newest 8 years with published results. A model's headline rate hides a wide spread between its best and worst years.
| Model year | Sportage | Qashqai |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 85.8% · 125,070 tests | 85.1% · 205,298 tests |
| 2018 | 87.7% · 112,467 tests | 87.0% · 158,633 tests |
| 2019 | 88.7% · 105,174 tests | 89.7% · 162,832 tests |
| 2020 | 89.7% · 52,220 tests | 92.5% · 100,031 tests |
| 2021 | 90.4% · 48,922 tests | 92.7% · 53,838 tests |
| 2022 | 92.6% · 13,854 tests | 93.1% · 36,789 tests |
| 2023 | 95.0% · 753 tests | 94.7% · 1,508 tests |
| 2024 | 95.9% · 73 tests | — |
Does the pass rate hold at higher mileage?
Pass rate by the mileage recorded at test, pooled across every published year. A car that stays strong past 90,000 miles is doing something right.
| Mileage | Sportage | Qashqai |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 92.1% · 131,676 tests | 93.6% · 240,145 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 87.4% · 331,691 tests | 86.1% · 583,511 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 81.0% · 266,172 tests | 77.6% · 574,412 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 74.8% · 135,823 tests | 70.1% · 416,129 tests |
| 120k+ | 71.5% · 59,728 tests | 66.5% · 274,805 tests |
What to check before you buy
Kia Sportage
- Child seat fitted, preventing full inspection — 4.3% of tests, £20–£80 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2007 at 67.0%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Nissan Qashqai
- Track rod end excessive play — 8.2% of tests, £18–£45 to put right.
- Ball joint excessively worn — 7.4% of tests, £18–£45 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2009 at 65.8%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Both columns cover every published year for the model. Pass rates are test-weighted, so a model with more recent tests is not dragged down by its oldest ones. Repair figures are estimates from UK parts data; a garage quote is the only number that matters for a specific car. The same car can be tested in more than one year, so these are test outcomes, not a count of individual vehicles.
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