D Daewoo Kalos MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Daewoo Kalos MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Daewoo Kalos passed on its first attempt in 57.5%, and its overall record sits −13.1 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Daewoo Kalos in the 2023–2025 data: 1,996 tests across 3 model years (2003–2005). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Daewoo Kalos MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Daewoo Kalos, the Suspension section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Daewoo Kalos's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Daewoo Kalos DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Daewoo Kalos, each with how many of the model's 1,996 tests it was noted on.

• "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 170 Daewoo Kalos tests, 8.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (Major) — noted on about 149 Daewoo Kalos tests, 7.5% of the model's MOT record.
• "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 119 Daewoo Kalos tests, 6.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Malfunction indicator lamp inoperative or indicates a malfunction" (Major) — noted on about 104 Daewoo Kalos tests, 5.2% of the model's MOT record.
• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 91 Daewoo Kalos tests, 4.6% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 83 Daewoo Kalos tests, 4.2% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Daewoo Kalos Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Daewoo Kalos model year on record is 2003 (68.5% across 679 tests), and the weakest is 2005 (66.5%). The gap between them is 2.0 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Daewoo Kalos reliability is declining in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.0 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Daewoo Kalos Owners

These checks follow this Daewoo Kalos's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Daewoo Kalos.

• the lights — “headlamp lens slightly defective”

  Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

• corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”

  Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.

• the suspension joints — “pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn”

  With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Daewoo Kalos. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Daewoo Kalos MOT & Reliability