The picture
Kisbee: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 1,609 MOT tests, the Kisbee returns 77.9% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.0 mm. A non-functioning shock absorber and stiff steering bearings round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 8,689, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
29 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 02
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
29 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 03
Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play
27 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 04
A headlamp missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
26 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 05
Brake control has insufficient reserve travel
25 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 06
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
22 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 07
Brake efficiency below minimum requirement
20 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 08
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
17 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 09
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
15 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 10
Handlebar grip insecure to handlebar
14 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£180–£430
If every one of this Kisbee's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a Kisbee?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Kisbee and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.