2012 KIA Sportage 1.7L Diesel · NV62 AAX

Chronic wear around the steering and front suspension is the defining story of this Sportage's MOT record, with the vehicle narrowly passing on 17 November 2025 only after a dangerous failure on the same vehicle just four days earlier. That earlier test flagged a dangerously loose lower steering column universal joint alongside a nearside rear tyre that had worn below the legal 1.6 mm tread limit, both categorised as dangerous defects. The same advisory items from that failed test then reappeared as advisories on the subsequent pass, meaning the column joint appears to have been addressed in time for the re-test, while the front suspension ball joint play and the pair of worn front tyres remained outstanding. Looking further back, the 2024 test cycle shows a broadly similar pattern: a dangerous brake pad failure on 11 November 2024 followed by a pass on 19 November 2024 with a continuing advisory for play in the steering rack inner joint. The 2023 entry completes a consistent picture, noting worn trailing arm bushes at the rear. Taken together, the history points to a vehicle whose steering and under-bonnet consumables are being maintained just in time for each test rather than proactively, with suspension and brake wear being a recurring theme. At 160,622 miles across roughly 14 years of service, this Sportage is accumulating close to 11,500 miles per year on average, which is broadly typical for a diesel-engined family SUV of its vintage and suggests regular rather than occasional use. There are no extended gaps in the testing record and no sudden unexplained mileage jumps between tests, which means the recorded wear is consistent with genuine accumulation rather than clock irregularities or long lay-up periods. For a vehicle of this age and mileage, components such as suspension linkages, steering joints, wheel bearings, dual-mass flywheels, turbocharger oil seals and front subframe mounting bushes are all entering the phase where fatigue failures become common, so the visible wear seen in the MOT record aligns with what one would mechanically expect from a high-mileage example. A prospective buyer should treat the steering system as the priority area for inspection, given the dangerous universal joint failure recorded in November 2025 and the persistent advisory for steering rack inner joint play from the 2024 test. On a road test, listen for any clonking or rattling from the steering column when turning the wheel on full lock, and feel for slack or a noticeable notch in the steering as it passes through the straight-ahead position, both of which could indicate the universal joint or rack has not been properly repaired. The front suspension also warrants close attention, particularly the nearside front lower arm ball joint that has been flagged for slight play at consecutive tests; on test drive, listen for a dull knock from the front end over speed bumps or potholes, and feel for any vague or wandering front-end response on uneven surfaces. The rear trailing arm bushes noted as worn in 2023 should be rechecked for cracking, splitting or excessive movement when the vehicle is raised, as worn bushes at this age often progress to a more serious defect once movement exceeds the MOT threshold. The braking system requires equal scrutiny given that the rear pads were found below 1.5 mm at the 2024 test. Even if the pads were replaced at that point, the discs and calipers on a 160,000-mile vehicle are likely to be approaching their second or third set, so on inspection feel for a pulsing pedal under firm braking, which suggests warped discs, and listen for any grinding or squealing that would indicate worn pads or a binding caliper. The nearside rear tyre that was found below the legal tread limit should also prompt a check of all four tyres for uneven shoulder wear, which on a front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive SUV of this mileage often points to worn suspension geometry or alignment issues rather than simple tyre ageing. Finally, a thorough under-bonnet and underside inspection is strongly recommended to look for oil seepage from the engine and turbo, corrosion on the rear subframe and brake pipes, and any signs of coolant loss, as none of these items would have been recorded unless they were overtly failed at test but are all common concerns on a diesel Sportage approaching the 160,000-mile mark.