Ford Cortina
From 1,100 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are 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 and the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 20 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 20 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 19 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 16 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 14 |
| a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 13 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 12 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 11 |
| service brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 11 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 10 |
| audible warning inoperative | 9 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. Only 31.9% of Cortina failures are serious (safety or roadside), below the 44.4% average. When this car fails its MOT, it's more likely to be lights, wipers, or emissions than something dangerous. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £97.
Ford Cortina on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 35 newly registered in the past year with 1 leaving, a net gain of 34.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 4,847 | 3,393 | +6 | -0 | +27 |
| 2025 Q2 | 4,858 | 3,355 | +9 | -0 | +34 |
| 2025 Q1 | 4,853 | 3,326 | +6 | -0 | +67 |
| 2024 Q4 | 4,855 | 3,257 | +14 | -1 | +13 |
| 2024 Q3 | 4,886 | 3,213 | +13 | -19 | -6 |
| 2024 Q2 | 4,862 | 3,243 | +18 | -12 | +6 |
| 2024 Q1 | 4,813 | 3,286 | +17 | -0 | +94 |
| 2023 Q4 | 4,698 | 3,307 | +26 | -2 | +24 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cortina | Petrol | 1,766 | 40% |
| Cortina De Luxe | Petrol | 437 | 10% |
| Cortina Mk2 1600E | Petrol | 296 | 7% |
| Cortina Super | Diesel | 214 | 5% |
| Cortina Gl | Petrol | 206 | 5% |
| Cortina Mk1 Lotus | Petrol | 181 | 4% |
| Cortina L | Petrol | 171 | 4% |
| Cortina Ghia | Petrol | 144 | 3% |
| Cortina Crusader | Petrol | 134 | 3% |
| Cortina 1600 L | Petrol | 122 | 3% |
| Cortina Mk2 Lotus | Petrol | 115 | 3% |
| Cortina 1600 Gt | Petrol | 101 | 2% |
| Cortina 1600 Xl | Petrol | 85 | 2% |
| Cortina Mk1 Gt | Petrol | 75 | 2% |
| Cortina 2000 Gxl | Petrol | 69 | 2% |
| Cortina 1600 Base | Petrol | 67 | 2% |
| Cortina 2000E | Petrol | 67 | 2% |
| Cortina Ghia Auto | Petrol | 59 | 1% |
| Cortina Mk I | Petrol | 54 | 1% |
| Cortina 2000 Gt | Petrol | 50 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 83.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. |
Typical mileage
Half of all Cortinas tested had between 19,186 and 77,429 miles on the clock.
At 52,730 median miles, the Cortina has 0.025 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 Cortina MOT pass rate?
The Ford Cortina has a 86.7% MOT pass rate based on 1,100 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Ford Cortina?
The most common MOT failure on the Ford Cortina is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 20 failures. Other common issues include steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
How many Ford Cortinas are on UK roads?
There are 4,847 Ford Cortinas currently licensed on UK roads, with 3,393 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Ford Cortina at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Ford Cortina is 52,730 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 19,186 and 77,429 miles.
Buying a used Cortina?
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.
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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.