In 2025, 169,319 Ford Ka cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 66% passed first time, compared with 67% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the Ka about average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 146 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, 86% of Kas passed first time (all cars that age: 84%). By 20 years, that figure is 53% (all cars: 58%). It trails the average car at most ages, most noticeably at 18 years (7 points behind).
Ford Ka All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | Ka passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 years | 9,987 | 86% | 84% | 31,107 |
| 7 years | 10,925 | 80% | 81% | 36,891 |
| 8 years | 13,230 | 81% | 78% | 41,953 |
| 9 years | 8,243 | 72% | 75% | 45,656 |
| 10 years | 13,067 | 68% | 72% | 50,087 |
| 11 years | 18,173 | 69% | 69% | 55,767 |
| 12 years | 18,099 | 66% | 66% | 61,710 |
| 13 years | 16,158 | 64% | 63% | 65,844 |
| 14 years | 14,964 | 61% | 61% | 71,629 |
| 15 years | 16,813 | 56% | 59% | 76,338 |
| 16 years | 15,579 | 56% | 58% | 78,058 |
| 17 years | 3,587 | 50% | 57% | 54,055 |
| 18 years | 2,855 | 50% | 57% | 53,913 |
| 19 years | 2,071 | 50% | 57% | 52,387 |
| 20 years | 1,722 | 53% | 58% | 51,743 |
What fails most on a Ford Ka
The area that lets the Ka down most, relative to other cars, is suspension: 25.4% of tests failed on it, 1.9 times the rate for the average car.
Share of Ka 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 | 9.3% |
| A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | Suspension | 3.7% |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 3.7% |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 3.5% |
| A shock absorber bush excessively worn | Suspension | 3.5% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 3.2% |
What to check when buying a used Ka
Based on where the Ka fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Suspension: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, look for leaking shock absorbers, and check the car sits level. Ask whether springs, bushes or drop links have been replaced. 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
- Visibility: Check the windscreen for chips in the driver’s view, the wipers for smearing and the washers for working jets. 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 Ka
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a KaFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a Ford Ka?
In 2025, 66% of Ford Ka cars passed their MOT first time, across 169,319 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 67%.
What do Ford Ka cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (9.3% of tests); a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage (3.7% of tests); the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (3.7% of tests).
Other Ford models
Ford Fiesta (65%), Ford Focus (67%), Ford Kuga (78%), Ford Transit (62%), Ford Mondeo (67%), 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.