Ford Fiesta
From 2,189,486 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Fiestas fare better: 2022 models pass at 91.1% vs 78.7% for 1987.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 109,438 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 | 109,438 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 56,775 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 47,059 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 45,800 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 43,847 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 36,303 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 34,685 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 34,024 |
| a stub axle swivel pin and/or bush excessively worn | 28,125 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 26,819 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 48.8% of Fiesta failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 7.4% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £108.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Fiesta passes its MOT 88.4% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 75.5%, a 12.9 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 71.6%. With an average repair bill of £108 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Fiesta that's past its third birthday.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 73.7% while Diesel versions pass at 68%, a 6 percentage point gap.
Ford Fiesta on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 60,751 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 99 newly registered, a net loss of 60,652. At this rate, roughly 23.5 years until none remain. Now at 82.8% of its peak (1,719,470 in 1997 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 1,312,047 | 112,480 | +30 | -15,045 | -15,015 |
| 2025 Q2 | 1,329,240 | 110,302 | +16 | -15,367 | -15,351 |
| 2025 Q1 | 1,345,508 | 109,385 | +33 | -15,899 | -15,866 |
| 2024 Q4 | 1,363,859 | 106,900 | +20 | -14,440 | -14,420 |
| 2024 Q3 | 1,380,748 | 104,431 | +24 | -16,271 | -16,247 |
| 2024 Q2 | 1,398,543 | 102,883 | +75 | -13,422 | -13,347 |
| 2024 Q1 | 1,412,345 | 102,428 | +1,558 | -16,775 | -15,217 |
| 2023 Q4 | 1,429,903 | 100,087 | +3,701 | -8,823 | -5,122 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiesta Zetec | Petrol | 338,310 | 38% |
| Fiesta Zetec Turbo | Petrol | 83,183 | 9% |
| Fiesta Titanium Turbo | Petrol | 70,456 | 8% |
| Fiesta Titanium | Diesel | 49,272 | 6% |
| Fiesta Style | Diesel | 39,160 | 4% |
| Fiesta St-Line Turbo | Petrol | 35,595 | 4% |
| Fiesta Zetec Climate | Petrol | 34,861 | 4% |
| Fiesta Zetec S | Diesel | 26,025 | 3% |
| Fiesta Zetec Auto | Gas | 24,031 | 3% |
| Fiesta Zetec Tdci | Diesel | 21,418 | 2% |
| Fiesta St-3 Turbo | Petrol | 20,076 | 2% |
| Fiesta Titanium Auto | Gas | 18,126 | 2% |
| Fiesta Edge | Petrol | 16,048 | 2% |
| Fiesta Titanium X | Diesel | 15,793 | 2% |
| Fiesta Style Climate | Diesel | 15,767 | 2% |
| Fiesta St-2 Turbo | Petrol | 15,445 | 2% |
| Fiesta Zetec 82 | Petrol | 14,902 | 2% |
| Fiesta Titanium Tdci | Diesel | 14,805 | 2% |
| Fiesta Edge 60 | Petrol | 13,951 | 2% |
| Fiesta Ghia | Diesel | 13,057 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 91.1% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2021 | 88.6% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2020 | 88.4% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2019 | 87.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
37 earlier years
| 2018 | 86.4% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2017 | 80.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2016 | 75.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2015 | 74.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2014 | 73% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2013 | 71.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2012 | 69.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2011 | 69.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2010 | 67.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2009 | 66.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2008 | 65.4% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2007 | 65.5% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 64.2% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2005 | 63.6% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2004 | 63.8% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2003 | 64% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2002 | 64.4% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 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 |
| 2001 | 64.6% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2000 | 64.4% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1999 | 62.7% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1998 | 61.3% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1997 | 64% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1996 | 67.5% | 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, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 1995 | 70.3% | 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, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 1994 | 71.5% | 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, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 1993 | 67.3% | 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, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1992 | 78% | 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, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1991 | 80.5% | 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, 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. |
| 1990 | 83.7% | 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, body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point |
| 1989 | 84.9% | 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., a tyre seriously damaged |
| 1988 | 83.5% | 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, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1987 | 78.7% | 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, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1986 | 81.3% | 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, a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 1985 | 84% | 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., emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1984 | 82.8% | 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, emissions levels exceed default limits |
| 1983 | 85.3% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen |
| 1982 | 91% | 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, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
Typical mileage
Half of all Fiestas tested had between 96,298 and 130,194 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 108,822 median miles, the Fiesta has 0.025 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Ford models
| Ford Focus | 74.7% |
| Ford Transit | 70.4% |
| Ford Kuga | 82.2% |
| Ford Mondeo | 73.8% |
| Ford Ka | 73% |
Common questions
What is the Ford Fiesta MOT pass rate?
The Ford Fiesta has a 72.9% MOT pass rate based on 2,189,486 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Ford Fiesta?
The most common MOT failure on the Ford Fiesta is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 109,438 failures. Other common issues include stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning.
How many Ford Fiestas are on UK roads?
There are 1,312,047 Ford Fiestas currently licensed on UK roads, with 112,480 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Ford Fiesta at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Ford Fiesta is 108,822 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 96,298 and 130,194 miles.
Buying a used Fiesta?
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 72.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £108 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.