In 2025, 863,229 Ford Focus cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 67% passed first time, compared with 69% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Focus about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 150 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 3 years old, 90% of Focuss passed first time (all cars that age: 88%). By 20 years, that figure is 55% (all cars: 58%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 11 years (4 points behind).
Ford Focus All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Focus passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 7,427 | 90% | 88% | 27,158.8211929447 |
| 4 years | 13,340 | 88% | 87% | 37,244.0605697151 |
| 5 years | 32,845 | 86% | 86% | 42,437.5317095448 |
| 6 years | 53,257 | 82% | 84% | 49,299 |
| 7 years | 47,235 | 82% | 81% | 54,204 |
| 8 years | 63,253 | 81% | 78% | 63,804 |
| 9 years | 63,206 | 77% | 75% | 72,409 |
| 10 years | 74,050 | 72% | 72% | 80,580 |
| 11 years | 72,079 | 64% | 69% | 87,297 |
| 12 years | 70,192 | 62% | 66% | 94,690 |
| 13 years | 64,192 | 62% | 63% | 100,205 |
| 14 years | 59,184 | 58% | 61% | 104,733 |
| 15 years | 49,335 | 57% | 59% | 104,827 |
| 16 years | 48,360 | 56% | 58% | 105,580 |
| 17 years | 38,678 | 56% | 57% | 108,115 |
| 18 years | 32,189 | 58% | 57% | 106,978 |
| 19 years | 22,859 | 58% | 57% | 107,426 |
| 20 years | 16,287 | 55% | 58% | 105,901 |
What fails most on a Ford Focus
The area that lets the Focus down most, relative to other cars, is lights and electrics: 24.0% of tests failed on it, 1.5 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on steering.
Share of Focus tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 6.7% |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 5.1% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 4.6% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 3.9% |
| A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | Suspension | 3.5% |
| A tyre seriously damaged | Tyres | 2.9% |
What to check when buying a used Focus
Based on where the Focus fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- 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
- 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
- Emissions and leaks: Look for oil and coolant leaks underneath, listen for exhaust blows on a cold start, and watch for smoke when revving. 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 Focus
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a FocusFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Ford Focus?
In 2025, 67% of Ford Focus cars passed their MOT first time, across 863,229 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 69%.
What do Ford Focus cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (6.7% of tests); a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (5.1% of tests); a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (4.6% of tests).
Other Ford models
Ford Fiesta (65%), Ford Kuga (78%), Ford Transit (62%), Ford Mondeo (67%), Ford Ka (66%), Ford Transit Connect (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.