Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2020 Kia Sorento?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2020 Kia Sorento?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2020 Kia Sorento?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2020 Kia Sorento reliable?

Based on MOT data from 435 vehicles, the 2020 Kia Sorento has a first-time MOT pass rate of 88.4%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2020 Kia Sorento?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2020 Kia Sorento are: Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (28.1% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (27.7% of vehicles), Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (20.7% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2020 Kia Sorento?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Kia Sorento (2020)

435 real MOT outcomes analysed • 88.4% first-time pass rate

2020 Kia Sorento

CarHunch analysed 435 real MOT records for the 2020 Kia Sorento. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

Moderate sample. 435 vehicles on record. Figures are indicative — the specific vehicle's history matters more than these averages.

The 2020 Kia Sorento is a strong performer, passing its first MOT at 88.4%—well above the 80% UK average—with only 15.4% ever recording a dangerous defect, which is reassuring for a buyer. The diesel variant (which accounts for nearly all tested) maintains that same 88.5% pass rate, showing consistent reliability across the fleet.

At just under 36,000 miles on average, these Sorentos are lightly used for their age, yet they're already averaging 0.54 failures and 4.0 advisories each, suggesting wear is starting to show in non-critical areas like suspension and lighting. If you're considering one, check the full MOT history for recurring advisories—this will tell you whether the previous owner addressed early signs of wear or let them compound.

The 2020 Kia Sorento passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (88.4%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

88.4%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

15.4%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.54

Over 3.8 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

35k

Middle half: 26k–43k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 88.4% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 4 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 435 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 435 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 28.1%

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 20.7%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 10.1%

Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · Offside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · Oil leak, but not excessive · …

Suspension & steering 4.9%

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2020.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 435 Kia Sorento cars.

Before you buy a 2020 Kia Sorento

Based on MOT data from 435 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 15.4% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Diesel (99%)	430	88.5%	0.54

Colour Breakdown

Based on 53,562 Kia Sorento vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 29.9%

16,034

Black 29.3%

15,707

Blue 14.2%

7,617

Grey 12.2%

6,519

White 9.1%

4,861

Red 3.7%

1,966

Bronze 0.9%

477

Brown 0.4%

237

Purple 0.1%

Maroon 0.1%

Gold 0%

Beige 0%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2020 Kia Sorento vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

34,928

typical

26,014

low mileage

43,355

high mileage

Half of all 2020 Kia Sorento vehicles fall between 26,014 and 43,355 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 26,014 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 26,014–43,355 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2020 Kia Sorentos sit.

⚠ Over 58,529 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2020 Kia Sorento — Still on the Road

Almost all 2020 Kia Sorentos are still on the road.

Strong survival — 414 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 97% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2022–2025.

MOT History Averages

3.8

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.54

Avg failures per vehicle

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Kia Sorento: All Sorento years → Which year to buy? →

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Or browse all models: Kia →

Compare with another model

See how the 2020 Kia Sorento stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?