Ford Kuga
From 417,146 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Kugas fare better: 2021 models pass at 89.1% vs 70% for 2008.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a lamp missing and inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning. The top issue, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, caused 9,041 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 brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 9,041 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 8,978 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 7,281 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 5,124 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 4,510 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 4,162 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 4,107 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 3,861 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 3,808 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 2,550 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 48.6% of failures are serious: 41.3% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 7.2% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £88.
The warranty question
A new Kuga passes its MOT 90.5% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 83.9%, a 6.6 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 78.6%. With an average repair bill of £88 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Kuga that's past its third birthday.
Ford Kuga on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 24,181 newly registered in the past year with 5,361 leaving, a net gain of 18,820. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 360,475 | 6,496 | +5,446 | -1,838 | +3,608 |
| 2025 Q2 | 357,065 | 6,298 | +4,882 | -1,631 | +3,251 |
| 2025 Q1 | 354,031 | 6,081 | +7,992 | -652 | +7,340 |
| 2024 Q4 | 347,065 | 5,707 | +5,861 | -1,240 | +4,621 |
| 2024 Q3 | 343,143 | 5,008 | +7,030 | -1,662 | +5,368 |
| 2024 Q2 | 338,584 | 4,199 | +5,141 | -1,075 | +4,066 |
| 2024 Q1 | 334,730 | 3,987 | +6,940 | -715 | +6,225 |
| 2023 Q4 | 329,000 | 3,492 | +8,290 | -438 | +7,852 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuga Titanium Tdci | Diesel | 40,523 | 20% |
| Kuga Zetec Tdci | Diesel | 15,362 | 8% |
| Kuga St-Line Tdci | Diesel | 12,154 | 6% |
| Kuga St-Line X Phev Cvt | Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 11,800 | 6% |
| Kuga St-Line X Ed Phev Cvt | Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 11,411 | 6% |
| Kuga St-Line Phev Cvt | Plug-In Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 10,204 | 5% |
| Kuga St-Line | Petrol | 9,894 | 5% |
| Kuga St-Line X Edition Hev Cvt | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 9,061 | 5% |
| Kuga Titanium | Petrol | 8,509 | 4% |
| Kuga St-Line Edition | Petrol | 7,317 | 4% |
| Kuga Titanium Edition | Petrol | 7,113 | 4% |
| Kuga Titanium 4X2 Tdci | Diesel | 7,009 | 4% |
| Kuga Titanium Tdci 4X4 Auto | Diesel | 6,729 | 3% |
| Kuga Titanium X Tdci | Diesel | 6,612 | 3% |
| Kuga Titanium Tdci 4X4 | Diesel | 6,469 | 3% |
| Kuga Titanium Tdci 163 | Diesel | 6,424 | 3% |
| Kuga Zetec | Diesel | 6,178 | 3% |
| Kuga St-Line X Edition | Petrol | 5,101 | 3% |
| Kuga Titanium Edition Tdci | Diesel | 4,972 | 3% |
| Kuga Titanium 4X4 Tdci | Diesel | 4,854 | 2% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 89.1% | emissions test unable to be completed, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2020 | 90.5% | a tyre seriously damaged, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2019 | 87.8% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2018 | 87.3% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
10 earlier years
| 2017 | 86.8% | a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2016 | 83.9% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2015 | 81.3% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2014 | 79.3% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm |
| 2013 | 78.6% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2012 | 73% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2011 | 72.1% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2010 | 70.1% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2009 | 70.5% | a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
| 2008 | 70% | a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
Typical mileage
Half of all Kugas tested had between 49,206 and 79,378 miles on the clock.
At 62,386 median miles, the Kuga has 0.029 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Ford models
| Ford Fiesta | 72.9% |
| Ford Focus | 74.7% |
| Ford Transit | 70.4% |
| Ford Mondeo | 73.8% |
| Ford Ka | 73% |
Common questions
What is the Ford Kuga MOT pass rate?
The Ford Kuga has a 82.2% MOT pass rate based on 417,146 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Ford Kuga?
The most common MOT failure on the Ford Kuga is a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, which caused 9,041 failures. Other common issues include tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements.
How many Ford Kugas are on UK roads?
There are 360,475 Ford Kugas currently licensed on UK roads, with 6,496 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Ford Kuga at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Ford Kuga is 62,386 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 49,206 and 79,378 miles.
Buying a used Kuga?
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 82.2% pass rate and an average repair bill of £88 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
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.