2018 KIA Sorento 2.2L Diesel · LS18 GTY

The 2018 Kia Sorrento holds a valid MOT certificate issued on 28 March 2026 at 49,290 miles, following a failure the previous day on 27 March 2026 at the identical recorded mileage. The maintenance trend is broadly stable but reveals a recurring pattern of deferred minor work. The most recent pass was secured after addressing a dangerous nearside rear tyre bulge and a perishing offside rear tyre, yet the tester still flagged both front tyres worn close to the legal limit and on the edge, alongside worn rear brake discs, thin rear brake pads, and a misting oil leak from the rear differential. These are not new issues. Rear brake disc and pad wear has appeared as an advisory or failure item in every test since March 2023, suggesting this axle is consistently running close to replacement thresholds and may indicate binding calipers or a driver habit of heavier rear braking use. The rear differential misting is a fresh flag in 2026 that warrants close attention. The mileage progression tells a coherent story. From the March 2023 test at 34,568 miles through March 2024 at 38,454 miles and March 2025 at 43,459 miles, the Sorrento covered roughly 4,000 to 5,000 miles annually. That stepped up to approximately 5,831 miles in the final year leading to the March 2026 test at 49,290 miles. This is a typical annual distance for a large family SUV and does not raise concerns about unusually light use or suspiciously rapid accumulation. The record is complete with no gaps in annual testing, giving a reliable picture of the vehicle's mechanical trajectory over the last three years. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on the rear braking system and the rear differential. The repeated advisories for worn rear discs and thin pads across four consecutive years point to a system that has not been properly overhauled. Check for uneven disc lipping, heat cracking, and caliper slide pin seizure, and verify whether the rear pads were actually replaced before the March 2026 retest or simply masked by the retest window. The misting oil from the rear differential could be a weeping pinion seal or a porous diff casing; any metallic whine or clunking on lift-off would confirm internal wear. Inspect both rear sidewalls carefully, as the 2026 failure recorded cracking and perishing on one side and a structural bulge on the other, indicating the rubber is aged unevenly and may have suffered impact damage. Front tyre wear patterns should be examined for toe or camber misalignment, given the repeated edge wear flagged in 2025 and 2026. Finally, confirm the coolant level is stable, as the low coolant advisory appeared on both the failed and passed tests in March 2026, raising the possibility of a slow leak or a failing expansion tank cap.