Ford C-MAX
From 170,803 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer C-MAXs fare better: 2019 models pass at 86.7% vs 63.5% for 2007.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements and a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 5,593 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 5,593 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 4,414 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 4,125 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 3,479 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 3,330 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 3,090 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 2,556 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 2,305 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 2,118 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 2,061 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 50% of C-MAX failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 9.3% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £97.
Ford C-MAX on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 5,614 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 5 newly registered, a net loss of 5,609. At this rate, roughly 18.7 years until none remain. Now at 81.7% of its peak (128,147 in 2019 Q2).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 101,148 | 3,559 | +1 | -1,463 | -1,462 |
| 2025 Q2 | 102,706 | 3,463 | +2 | -1,660 | -1,658 |
| 2025 Q1 | 104,353 | 3,474 | +1 | -1,348 | -1,347 |
| 2024 Q4 | 105,956 | 3,218 | +1 | -1,143 | -1,142 |
| 2024 Q3 | 107,380 | 2,936 | +1 | -1,481 | -1,480 |
| 2024 Q2 | 108,963 | 2,833 | +0 | -1,316 | -1,316 |
| 2024 Q1 | 110,354 | 2,758 | +0 | -1,377 | -1,377 |
| 2023 Q4 | 111,974 | 2,515 | +2 | -1,002 | -1,000 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| C-Max Zetec | Gas | 23,184 | 23% |
| C-Max Titanium Tdci | Diesel | 17,044 | 17% |
| C-Max Zetec Tdci | Diesel | 14,789 | 15% |
| C-Max Titanium Turbo | Petrol | 8,333 | 8% |
| C-Max Titanium Tdci Auto | Diesel | 7,584 | 8% |
| C-Max Zetec Turbo | Petrol | 6,495 | 6% |
| C-Max Titanium | Diesel | 4,452 | 4% |
| C-Max Titanium X Tdci | Diesel | 3,266 | 3% |
| C-Max Style | Petrol | 2,704 | 3% |
| C-Max Zetec Auto | Petrol | 2,350 | 2% |
| C-Max Titanium X Tdci Auto | Diesel | 2,322 | 2% |
| C-Max Titanium X Turbo | Petrol | 1,557 | 2% |
| C-Max Titanium Auto | Petrol | 1,294 | 1% |
| C-Max Zetec Td 115 | Diesel | 1,262 | 1% |
| C-Max Zetec Tdci Auto | Diesel | 1,139 | 1% |
| C-Max Titanium Td 136 | Diesel | 864 | <1% |
| C-Max Titanium Td 115 | Diesel | 663 | <1% |
| C-Max Zetec Td 109 | Diesel | 437 | <1% |
| C-Max Titanium Td 109 | Diesel | 280 | <1% |
| C-Max Zetec Td 136 | Diesel | 225 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 86.7% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2018 | 84.9% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2017 | 84.9% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 83.9% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
10 earlier years
| 2015 | 80.1% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2014 | 76.8% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2013 | 75.7% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 73.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2011 | 72% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2010 | 67.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2009 | 66.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2008 | 64.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2007 | 63.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 62% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
Typical mileage
Half of all C-MAXs tested had between 44,648 and 101,030 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 71,727 median miles, the C-MAX has 0.036 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Ford models
| Ford Fiesta | 72.9% |
| Ford Focus | 74.7% |
| Ford Transit | 70.4% |
| Ford Kuga | 82.2% |
| Ford Mondeo | 73.8% |
Common questions
What is the Ford C-MAX MOT pass rate?
The Ford C-MAX has a 74.5% MOT pass rate based on 170,803 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Ford C-MAX?
The most common MOT failure on the Ford C-MAX is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 5,593 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Ford C-MAXs are on UK roads?
There are 101,148 Ford C-MAXs currently licensed on UK roads, with 3,559 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Ford C-MAX at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Ford C-MAX is 71,727 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 44,648 and 101,030 miles.
Buying a used C-MAX?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 74.5% pass rate and an average repair bill of £97 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.