Ford Ka
From 300,412 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Kas fare better: 2019 models pass at 89.4% vs 60.7% for 2001.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 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 and a shock absorber bush excessively worn. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 18,072 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 | 18,072 |
| 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 | 9,195 |
| a shock absorber bush excessively worn | 7,030 |
| a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | 6,987 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 6,171 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 5,166 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 5,099 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 4,566 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 4,446 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 4,372 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 29.9% of Ka failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 38.9% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £155.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 73.2% while Diesel versions pass at 65.7%, a 8 percentage point gap.
Ford Ka on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 10,530 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 2 newly registered, a net loss of 10,528. At this rate, roughly 14.2 years until none remain. Now at 32% of its peak (467,098 in 2010 Q3).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 122,167 | 27,071 | +0 | -2,296 | -2,296 |
| 2025 Q2 | 124,558 | 26,976 | +1 | -2,111 | -2,110 |
| 2025 Q1 | 126,745 | 26,899 | +0 | -2,995 | -2,995 |
| 2024 Q4 | 129,297 | 27,342 | +1 | -3,128 | -3,127 |
| 2024 Q3 | 131,848 | 27,918 | +0 | -2,764 | -2,764 |
| 2024 Q2 | 134,497 | 28,033 | +1 | -2,204 | -2,203 |
| 2024 Q1 | 136,569 | 28,164 | +1 | -2,273 | -2,272 |
| 2023 Q4 | 139,039 | 27,966 | +0 | -1,686 | -1,686 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ka Zetec | Petrol | 39,186 | 32% |
| Ka Edge | Petrol | 28,428 | 23% |
| Ka Studio | Petrol | 18,117 | 15% |
| Ka Titanium | Petrol | 6,499 | 5% |
| Ka Style | Petrol | 5,890 | 5% |
| Ka Style Plus | Petrol | 3,512 | 3% |
| Ka Studio + | Petrol | 2,577 | 2% |
| Ka | Petrol | 2,559 | 2% |
| Ka Zetec Climate | Petrol | 2,346 | 2% |
| Ka Zetec White Edition | Petrol | 2,023 | 2% |
| Ka Zetec Black Edition | Petrol | 2,006 | 2% |
| Ka Metal | Petrol | 1,938 | 2% |
| Ka Zetec Tdci | Diesel | 1,457 | 1% |
| Ka Collection | Petrol | 1,207 | <1% |
| Ka Grand Prix | Petrol | 1,163 | <1% |
| Ka Style Climate | Petrol | 711 | <1% |
| Ka Luxury | Petrol | 688 | <1% |
| Ka Grand Prix Ii | Petrol | 553 | <1% |
| Ka Titanium Tdci | Diesel | 278 | <1% |
| Ka Design | Gas | 217 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 89.4% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2018 | 85% | a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2017 | 84.7% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 78% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
19 earlier years
| 2015 | 76.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2014 | 76.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage |
| 2013 | 74.5% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2012 | 72.3% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2011 | 71.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a shock absorber bush excessively worn |
| 2010 | 68.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2009 | 68.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2008 | 59.2% | 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 |
| 2007 | 59.3% | 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 |
| 2006 | 59.1% | 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 |
| 2005 | 60.4% | 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 |
| 2004 | 60.2% | 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 |
| 2003 | 60% | 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 |
| 2002 | 60.6% | 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 |
| 2001 | 60.7% | 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 |
| 2000 | 66.4% | 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, 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 |
| 1999 | 62.3% | 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 |
| 1998 | 66.5% | 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, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 1997 | 72.1% | 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, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
Typical mileage
Half of all Kas tested had between 22,452 and 45,852 miles on the clock. Relatively low mileage overall. Many are still fairly young.
At 32,679 median miles, the Ka has 0.083 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 Ka MOT pass rate?
The Ford Ka has a 73% MOT pass rate based on 300,412 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Ford Ka?
The most common MOT failure on the Ford Ka is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 18,072 failures. Other common issues include 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.
How many Ford Kas are on UK roads?
There are 122,167 Ford Kas currently licensed on UK roads, with 27,071 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Ford Ka at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Ford Ka is 32,679 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 22,452 and 45,852 miles.
Buying a used Ka?
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 73% pass rate and an average repair bill of £155 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 29.9% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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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.