In 2025, 105,753 Ford C-Max cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 68% passed first time, compared with 67% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the C-Max about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 129 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 6 years old, 83% of C-Maxs passed first time (all cars that age: 84%). By 18 years, that figure is 52% (all cars: 57%). It starts out ahead of the average car but falls behind from around 15 years, which is worth knowing if you are buying an older one.
Ford C-Max All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | C-Max passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 years | 2,615 | 83% | 84% | 35,878 |
| 7 years | 4,812 | 80% | 81% | 45,187 |
| 8 years | 8,016 | 83% | 78% | 55,707 |
| 9 years | 10,576 | 78% | 75% | 63,520 |
| 10 years | 11,296 | 72% | 72% | 72,795 |
| 11 years | 12,398 | 69% | 69% | 80,556 |
| 12 years | 13,302 | 68% | 66% | 88,802 |
| 13 years | 10,547 | 63% | 63% | 94,256 |
| 14 years | 9,891 | 64% | 61% | 100,417 |
| 15 years | 5,335 | 56% | 59% | 100,517 |
| 16 years | 4,595 | 55% | 58% | 103,263 |
| 17 years | 8,377 | 53% | 57% | 106,533 |
| 18 years | 3,782 | 52% | 57% | 110,079 |
What fails most on a Ford C-Max
The area that lets the C-Max down most, relative to other cars, is tyres: 12.1% of tests failed on it, 1.4 times the rate for the average car.
Share of C-Max tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 5.0% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 4.3% |
| A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | Brakes | 3.8% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 3.8% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 3.4% |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 3.3% |
What to check when buying a used C-Max
Based on where the C-Max fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Tyres: Check tread across the whole width (uneven wear hints at alignment or suspension faults), and look for cuts, bulges and mismatched brands. Repair guide
- Lights and electrics: Walk round with the lights on: headlights (dipped and main), indicators, brake lights, number-plate and fog lights. Bulbs are cheap, but a seller who hasn’t noticed one out may have missed more. Repair guide
- Body and structure: Get underneath with a torch: sills, jacking points, subframe mounts and floor pans. Structural rust is the failure that can make a car uneconomic to fix. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific C-Max
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a C-MaxFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Ford C-Max?
In 2025, 68% of Ford C-Max cars passed their MOT first time, across 105,753 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 67%.
What do Ford C-Max cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (5.0% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (4.3% of tests); a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm (3.8% of tests).
Other Ford models
Ford Fiesta (65%), Ford Focus (67%), Ford Kuga (78%), Ford Transit (62%), Ford Mondeo (67%), Ford Ka (66%). All Ford models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.