Ford reliability: MOT results 2024
Figures updated
Ranked 35 of 52 makes
4,253,085 Ford cars aged 3 to 20 had an MOT in 2024, and 31.6% failed first time (UK average 28.5%). Allowing for age and mileage, a Ford is 8% more likely to fail than the average car of the same age and mileage. At their first MOT, 15.1% failed (UK 12.7%).
Ford models ranked
| Model | Score | Fail rate | First MOT | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Puma | 147 | 8.1% | 7.7% | 45,632 |
| Ford Edge | 138 | 15.1% | – | 8,939 |
| Ford Kuga | 116 | 20.8% | 9.6% | 282,268 |
| Ford Mondeo | 111 | 32.9% | 17.1% | 186,613 |
| Ford Mustang | 107 | 16.1% | 12.0% | 12,996 |
| Ford C-Max | 101 | 33.1% | – | 126,182 |
| Ford Focus | 101 | 31.5% | 11.4% | 905,513 |
| Ford S-Max | 100 | 35.2% | 16.8% | 72,821 |
| Ford Fusion | 98 | 41.2% | – | 49,877 |
| Ford Galaxy | 95 | 36.7% | 22.1% | 58,148 |
| Ford Rangervan | 92 | 27.8% | 17.3% | 104,899 |
| Ford Tourneo | 91 | 27.4% | – | 14,444 |
| Ford Grand C-Max | 90 | 32.7% | – | 35,825 |
| Ford Tourneo Connect | 89 | 22.4% | 19.7% | 13,454 |
| Ford Transit Connectvan | 89 | 34.7% | 21.3% | 163,116 |
| Ford Transitvan | 88 | 38.0% | 19.9% | 287,947 |
| Ford Fiesta | 86 | 34.3% | 13.2% | 1,368,897 |
| Ford B-Max | 84 | 29.8% | – | 54,401 |
| Ford Ka | 84 | 33.0% | – | 177,330 |
| Ford Transit Customvan | 83 | 22.6% | 23.1% | 135,994 |
| Ford Tourneo Custom | 81 | 21.4% | 22.9% | 7,370 |
| Ford EcoSport | 78 | 21.9% | 14.2% | 100,016 |
| Ford Transit Couriervan | 75 | 30.1% | 22.2% | 25,894 |
Ford MOT failure rate by age
What Ford cars fail on
| Area | Tests failing | vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 14.4% | ▲ 1.3× as often |
| Suspension | 9.9% | About average |
| Tyres | 7.3% | About average |
| Brakes | 6.4% | About average |
| Visibility | 4.9% | About average |
| Body and structure | 4.0% | ▲ 1.1× as often |
| Exhaust and emissions | 3.6% | 1.1× as often |
| Steering | 2.2% | About average |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.8% | ▼ 15% less often |
| Wheels | 0.4% | About average |
Most common Ford MOT faults
- Stop lamp: not working3.8% of tests
- Position lamp: not working3.1% of tests
- Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.6% of tests
- Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn2.5% of tests
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.1% of tests
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.0% of tests
Compare Ford cars with their rivals
- Ford Fiesta vs Vauxhall Corsa
- Ford Focus vs Volkswagen Golf
- Ford Fiesta vs MINI Hatch
- Ford Focus vs Vauxhall Astra
- Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo
- Ford Focus vs Audi A3
- Ford Fiesta vs Toyota Yaris
- Ford Focus vs BMW 1 Series
- Ford Focus vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class
- Ford Fiesta vs Honda Jazz
- Ford Fiesta vs Renault Clio
- Nissan Qashqai vs Ford Kuga
- Ford Kuga vs Kia Sportage
- Ford Focus vs Honda Civic
- Ford Kuga vs Volkswagen Tiguan
- Ford Fiesta vs Skoda Fabia
Frequently asked questions
›Are Ford cars reliable?
By MOT results, Ford ranks 35 of 52 makes in 2024, with a reliability score of 93 (100 is average for the same age and mileage). 31.6% of Ford cars failed their MOT first time.
›What is the most reliable Ford?
The Ford Puma, with a score of 147. The lowest-scoring is the Transit Courier (75).
›What do Ford cars fail their MOT on?
Lights and electrics: 14.4% of Ford MOTs failed on it, 1.3 times the rate for similar cars. The single most common fault was “Stop lamp: not working”.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024, Open Government Licence v3.0. How we calculate the league.