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What to check: Kia Niro

BBy age

ABy miles

Ranked across all years of the Kia Niro, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 2.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

A binding brakeRuns high on this modelAfter the test drive, hold the back of your hand near each wheel hub. One wheel running much hotter than the rest is a sticking caliper. A car that slows itself down when you lift off on a flat road is saying the same thing.Recorded on 1.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.7%

Lights and horn walkroundWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 1.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.2%

Handbrake holdStop on a hill and put the handbrake on. It should hold the car firmly within a few clicks, or straight away on the button if it is electronic. Roll-back means adjustment at best, new cables or a caliper motor at worst.Recorded on 0.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.3%

Rubber boots and gaitersOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 0.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.0%

Warning lights on ignitionTurn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 0.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.5%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 21.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 10.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 10.1%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 1.8% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.7%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Start the car and try reverse then drive a few times in a row, including after it has sat for a while.Hesitation, a refusal to engage, or a dash warning that clears itself points at the hybrid system software fault.

Ask if any dealer software updates have been applied, and check the service book for them.No record of updates on an older hybrid means the known software gremlins may still be live.

Check the car's recall status using the registration number before agreeing a price.An outstanding electrical relay recall should be fixed free at a dealer before you hand over money.

Cold start the engine and listen for rattling from the timing chain area for the first few seconds.Persistent rattle beyond a couple of seconds is worth an inspection, even though the chain tensioner fault is rare.

On a PHEV, ask the seller to demonstrate electric-only range with the heater on.A big drop from the claimed figure is normal, not a fault, but it matters if you're buying for short electric commutes.

Read the full MOT and service history, not just the current pass.Repeated visits for the same fault, or gaps around the recall period, suggest issues were patched rather than properly fixed.

If it's an EV, ask directly about any faults reported in year one and get any warranty repair paperwork.First-year fault rates on the Niro EV have run above the class average, so a car with no paperwork at all is unusual, not reassuring.

Full Kia Niro reliability report