Ford Focus Reliability: MOT Pass Rate by Year & Engine

Verdict

The Ford Focus passes its MOT first time on 66.8% of tests, against 67.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. It beats 49% of cars on UK roads: about average. The VW Golf, Audi A3, Škoda Octavia, Toyota Auris and SEAT Leon do better; the Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 308, Hyundai i30, Kia Ceed and Renault Megane do worse.

The best years are 2015–2017, the facelifted third generation, which beat about seven in ten cars. 2005–2014 cars sit a little below the middle, and cars from before 2005 beat only about one in three.

Cars from 2019 on beat just under half of cars. The 1.0 petrol fails on catalyst emissions about 13 times as often as a typical car, though that is still only about 1 in 60 tests; the 1.5 diesel fails on the engine warning light nearly 3 times as often.

Better than average on brakes and steering. Suspension arm bushes are the weak spot: about 1.6 times as many fails as a typical car, and about 2.5 times on 2005–2010 cars.

Watch these weak spots

Suspension arm bushes1.6×as often as a typical car

MOT pass rate by age

First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.

Ford FocusTypical car, same age & mileage

Best and worst years

By year of first registration, ranked against all cars on UK roads after adjusting for age and mileage. Green = better than half of cars.

Beats 11%

Beats 18%

Beats 27%

Beats 34%

Beats 32%

Beats 30%

Beats 37%

Beats 48%

Beats 58%

Beats 56%

Beats 51%

Beats 49%

Beats 43%

Beats 43%

Beats 47%

Beats 34%

Beats 48%

Beats 70%

Beats 69%

Beats 70%

Beats 60%

Beats 41%

Beats 55%

Beats 62%

Beats 72%

Beats 67%

Engines

All years, most common first. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

Engine	Years	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	1999–2016	3,025,583	59.5%	Beats 45%	C
1.0 Petrol	2012–2023	1,751,379	80.3%	Beats 57%	C
1.6 Diesel	2005–2016	1,421,873	62.5%	Beats 38%	D
1.5 Diesel	2014–2022	665,074	80.6%	Beats 65%	B
1.8 Petrol	1998–2011	403,071	55.9%	Beats 45%	C
2.0 Petrol	1999–2018	372,907	67.8%	Beats 61%	B
2.0 Diesel	2005–2021	325,176	68.2%	Beats 51%	C
1.8 Diesel	1999–2011	319,984	51.1%	Beats 40%	D
2.5 Petrol	2005–2011	158,500	71.6%	Beats 92%	A
1.5 Petrol	2014–2020	139,778	86.8%	Beats 81%	A
1.4 Petrol	1999–2009	72,651	50.4%	Beats 33%	D
2.3 Petrol	2016–2023	63,590	88.6%	Beats 76%	B

Where it fails

Each area compared with a typical car of the same age and mileage, in points of pass rate. Tap or hover an area to see what to check.

Better than typicalTypicalWorse than typical

Lights: 15.9% of tests fail on lights & electrics, against 14.1% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Walk round the car with every light on, including brake, fog and number plate lights.

Every MOT area

Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).

Lights & electrics

15.9% vs 14.1%

Suspension

11.8% vs 11.0%

Tyres

8.0% vs 7.0%

Brakes

6.0% vs 8.2%

Visibility

4.6% vs 5.4%

Emissions & leaks

3.5% vs 3.8%

Body & structure

3.3% vs 4.2%

Steering

1.5% vs 2.3%

Seat belts & airbags

0.9% vs 1.3%

Wheels

0.4% vs 0.4%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Headlight aim
The Focus's most common MOT fail, on about 1 in 20 tests. Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left.
Suspension arm bushes
Fail about 2.5 times as often as on a typical car on 2005–2010 cars. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering.
Coil springs
Fail about 1.6 times as often as on a typical car on 2011–2018 cars. Look behind each wheel for a snapped coil and listen for clunks over bumps.
Tyre pressure warning (TPMS)
Fails nearly twice as often as on a typical car on 2011–2018 cars. Make sure no tyre-pressure warning stays on after start-up.
Indicator side repeaters
Fail about 2.5 times as often as on a typical car on 2011–2018 cars. Put the indicators on and check the small side repeaters on both sides.
Emissions and engine warning light
On cars from 2019 on, check past MOT emissions readings on the 1.0 petrol and make sure the engine warning light goes out after start-up, especially on the 1.5 diesel.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

Ford FocusTypical car

Most common MOT failures

Item	This car	Typical	vs typical
Headlight aim	5.1%	3.8%	1.3×
Tyre damage & cracking	4.0%	3.7%	1.1×
Coil springs	3.8%	2.9%	1.3×
Sidelights	3.7%	3.5%	1.1×
Tyre tread depth	3.4%	2.9%	1.2×
Brake lights	2.6%	2.7%	1.0×
Headlight bulbs & units	2.6%	2.6%	1.0×
Windscreen washers	2.5%	2.4%	1.0×
Suspension arm bushes	2.1%	1.3%	1.6×
Brake pads	1.7%	2.1%	0.8×

Specific defects found

Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.

Defect	per 1,000
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements	50.5
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn	41.3
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened	38.5
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements	34.3
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	29.6
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen	25.2
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	23.0
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED	21.7

Check another car

Pick a make and model to see its MOT pass rate, best and worst years and weak spots.

Every year and engine

Tap a year to see its engines. Grades compare each car with cars of the same age and mileage (A = best 20% of cars on UK roads, E = worst 20%), so an older or higher-mileage car can grade above one with a higher pass rate.

2023 Ford Focus2 engines89.9% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.0 Petrol	6,135	89.8%	Beats 67%	B
2.3 Petrol	1,068	90.3%	Beats 61%	B

2022 Ford Focus3 engines90.0% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.0 Petrol	16,943	90.5%	Beats 76%	B
1.5 Diesel	1,960	85.3%	Beats 47%	C
2.3 Petrol	1,392	90.8%	Beats 68%	B

2021 Ford Focus4 engines88.1% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.0 Petrol	40,772	89.3%	Beats 67%	B
1.5 Diesel	15,463	85.1%	Beats 49%	C
2.3 Petrol	1,447	89.4%	Beats 62%	B
2.0 Diesel	1,186	84.9%	Beats 49%	C

2020 Ford Focus5 engines86.6% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.0 Petrol	87,306	87.8%	Beats 61%	B
1.5 Diesel	38,556	83.6%	Beats 40%	D
1.5 Petrol	10,292	89.7%	Beats 81%	A
2.0 Diesel	6,217	83.9%	Beats 33%	D
2.3 Petrol	5,342	86.2%	Beats 34%	D

2019 Ford Focus5 engines83.9% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.0 Petrol	161,482	83.4%	Beats 28%	D
1.5 Diesel	52,734	82.4%	Beats 54%	C
1.5 Petrol	37,141	87.7%	Beats 74%	B
2.0 Diesel	9,748	83.3%	Beats 48%	C
2.3 Petrol	8,374	85.4%	Beats 36%	D

2018 Ford Focus6 engines84.7% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.0 Petrol	185,556	85.1%	Beats 57%	C
1.5 Diesel	54,317	81.7%	Beats 59%	C
1.5 Petrol	13,634	88.2%	Beats 81%	A
2.0 Petrol	13,088	85.8%	Beats 63%	B
2.0 Diesel	7,713	83.7%	Beats 64%	B
2.3 Petrol	6,474	91.0%	Beats 83%	A

2017 Ford Focus6 engines84.3% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.0 Petrol	218,056	85.3%	Beats 71%	B
1.5 Diesel	129,812	81.2%	Beats 63%	B
1.5 Petrol	25,528	88.0%	Beats 88%	A
2.0 Petrol	24,325	86.1%	Beats 77%	B
2.0 Diesel	21,981	82.6%	Beats 67%	B
2.3 Petrol	19,784	88.4%	Beats 77%	B

2016 Ford Focus8 engines82.2% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.0 Petrol	220,250	83.3%	Beats 69%	B
1.5 Diesel	165,409	79.7%	Beats 66%	B
2.0 Diesel	38,393	80.8%	Beats 69%	B
1.5 Petrol	25,551	85.1%	Beats 80%	A
2.0 Petrol	24,242	83.3%	Beats 70%	B
2.3 Petrol	19,709	89.6%	Beats 94%	A
1.6 Petrol	11,162	82.5%	Beats 55%	C
1.6 Diesel	1,064	75.6%	Beats 36%	D

2015 Ford Focus7 engines80.6% passB

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.0 Petrol report →	240,665	82.2%	Beats 73%	B
1.5 Diesel	199,255	79.2%	Beats 73%	B
1.6 Petrol	68,872	80.9%	Beats 58%	C
1.6 Diesel	60,923	76.0%	Beats 55%	C
2.0 Diesel	45,988	80.1%	Beats 75%	B
2.0 Petrol	31,943	83.3%	Beats 81%	A
1.5 Petrol	25,139	84.1%	Beats 83%	A

2014 Ford Focus7 engines73.6% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Diesel	274,910	69.8%	Beats 37%	D
1.0 Petrol	234,145	76.0%	Beats 55%	C
1.6 Petrol	109,964	77.2%	Beats 56%	C
2.0 Petrol	20,164	77.2%	Beats 65%	B
2.0 Diesel	16,601	71.4%	Beats 43%	C
1.5 Diesel	7,568	78.7%	Beats 79%	B
1.5 Petrol	2,493	83.7%	Beats 90%	A

2013 Ford Focus5 engines67.5% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Diesel	280,775	64.3%	Beats 30%	D
1.0 Petrol	209,921	69.2%	Beats 35%	D
1.6 Petrol	123,024	71.2%	Beats 40%	C
2.0 Petrol	29,480	72.1%	Beats 56%	C
2.0 Diesel	18,476	65.8%	Beats 34%	D

2012 Ford Focus5 engines66.7% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Diesel	238,506	63.4%	Beats 43%	C
1.6 Petrol	207,590	69.1%	Beats 51%	C
1.0 Petrol	130,148	68.6%	Beats 47%	C
2.0 Diesel	27,400	65.3%	Beats 48%	C
2.0 Petrol	14,679	72.5%	Beats 68%	B

2011 Ford Focus7 engines62.9% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	349,971	64.7%	Beats 45%	C
1.6 Diesel	206,251	59.6%	Beats 38%	D
2.0 Diesel	13,573	63.3%	Beats 47%	C
1.8 Petrol	11,186	66.1%	Beats 55%	C
2.5 Petrol	3,261	73.3%	Beats 71%	B
2.0 Petrol	2,152	66.0%	Beats 47%	C
1.8 Diesel	1,486	58.7%	Beats 41%	C

2010 Ford Focus7 engines60.1% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	266,860	60.4%	Beats 41%	C
1.6 Diesel	141,319	55.3%	Beats 32%	D
1.8 Petrol	45,116	63.6%	Beats 59%	C
2.5 Petrol	26,942	77.1%	Beats 93%	A
2.0 Diesel	22,020	57.1%	Beats 36%	D
2.0 Petrol	13,370	66.1%	Beats 58%	C
1.8 Diesel	4,534	56.9%	Beats 40%	D

2009 Ford Focus8 engines59.3% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	318,219	59.0%	Beats 46%	C
1.6 Diesel	83,071	55.6%	Beats 44%	C
1.8 Petrol	53,053	61.3%	Beats 56%	C
1.8 Diesel	38,292	55.4%	Beats 42%	C
2.0 Diesel	23,702	56.3%	Beats 41%	C
2.5 Petrol	23,464	77.2%	Beats 96%	A
2.0 Petrol	23,033	64.4%	Beats 60%	B
1.4 Petrol	1,002	54.8%	Beats 30%	D

2008 Ford Focus8 engines57.8% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	260,823	58.2%	Beats 51%	C
1.8 Petrol	69,392	58.5%	Beats 52%	C
1.8 Diesel	61,380	53.4%	Beats 41%	C
1.6 Diesel	56,761	53.9%	Beats 44%	C
2.0 Petrol	29,376	62.0%	Beats 61%	B
2.0 Diesel	24,250	54.7%	Beats 44%	C
2.5 Petrol	23,372	70.3%	Beats 91%	A
1.4 Petrol	2,141	58.6%	Beats 50%	C

2007 Ford Focus8 engines57.7% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	258,478	57.9%	Beats 54%	C
1.8 Petrol	66,951	57.7%	Beats 53%	C
1.8 Diesel	63,014	53.1%	Beats 45%	C
2.5 Petrol	41,253	68.4%	Beats 88%	A
1.6 Diesel	30,681	53.2%	Beats 45%	C
2.0 Petrol	25,489	60.8%	Beats 60%	B
2.0 Diesel	20,202	53.5%	Beats 44%	C
1.4 Petrol	7,828	54.4%	Beats 44%	C

2006 Ford Focus8 engines56.9% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	247,683	56.7%	Beats 55%	C
1.8 Diesel	48,085	52.5%	Beats 48%	C
2.5 Petrol	37,484	68.5%	Beats 92%	A
1.6 Diesel	21,844	53.1%	Beats 50%	C
1.8 Petrol	20,528	56.5%	Beats 54%	C
2.0 Petrol	17,525	57.4%	Beats 56%	C
2.0 Diesel	15,403	53.0%	Beats 50%	C
1.4 Petrol	10,389	53.9%	Beats 46%	C

2005 Ford Focus8 engines53.2% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	261,143	53.6%	Beats 48%	C
1.6 Diesel	25,768	49.9%	Beats 44%	C
2.0 Petrol	17,263	57.2%	Beats 60%	B
1.8 Diesel	16,319	48.9%	Beats 40%	D
1.8 Petrol	12,882	51.3%	Beats 39%	D
2.0 Diesel	12,323	50.5%	Beats 47%	C
1.4 Petrol	9,484	52.1%	Beats 43%	C
2.5 Petrol	2,724	67.9%	Beats 91%	A

2004 Ford Focus5 engines49.8% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	176,932	49.8%	Beats 35%	D
1.8 Diesel	29,916	46.1%	Beats 33%	D
1.8 Petrol	26,389	49.6%	Beats 37%	D
2.0 Petrol	19,837	55.8%	Beats 59%	C
1.4 Petrol	7,924	48.4%	Beats 29%	D

2003 Ford Focus5 engines48.7% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	139,456	47.3%	Beats 25%	D
2.0 Petrol	26,532	60.4%	Beats 68%	B
1.8 Diesel	25,141	44.8%	Beats 27%	D
1.8 Petrol	18,996	48.8%	Beats 31%	D
1.4 Petrol	10,784	46.0%	Beats 18%	E

2002 Ford Focus5 engines48.2% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	121,617	48.0%	Beats 30%	D
1.8 Petrol	18,997	48.3%	Beats 34%	D
1.8 Diesel	18,744	45.3%	Beats 31%	D
2.0 Petrol	18,408	53.0%	Beats 50%	C
1.4 Petrol	10,951	47.7%	Beats 26%	D

2001 Ford Focus5 engines48.9% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	70,087	49.3%	Beats 34%	D
1.8 Petrol	21,723	48.5%	Beats 34%	D
2.0 Petrol	8,883	48.5%	Beats 34%	D
1.8 Diesel	8,289	46.0%	Beats 34%	D
1.4 Petrol	7,590	49.9%	Beats 34%	D

2000 Ford Focus5 engines47.8% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.6 Petrol	23,303	48.9%	Beats 27%	D
1.8 Petrol	22,393	46.4%	Beats 25%	D
2.0 Petrol	8,034	48.6%	Beats 32%	D
1.8 Diesel	3,591	45.7%	Beats 31%	D
1.4 Petrol	2,564	50.3%	Beats 33%	D

1999 Ford Focus5 engines46.0% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.8 Petrol	14,202	45.4%	Beats 17%	E
1.6 Petrol	10,399	46.1%	Beats 16%	E
2.0 Petrol	5,084	48.0%	Beats 25%	D
1.4 Petrol	1,994	45.1%	Beats 14%	E
1.8 Diesel	1,193	45.8%	Beats 27%	D

1998 Ford Focus1 engine43.7% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.8 Petrol	1,263	43.7%	Beats 11%	E

FAQ

What is the Ford Focus MOT pass rate?

66.8% of Ford Focus MOT tests were passed first time, from 8.7 million tests. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 67.1%, so the Focus is about average.

Is the Ford Focus reliable?

On MOT results it is about average: it beats 49% of cars on UK roads, and 2015–2017 cars do clearly better than average. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Ford Focus years are best?

2015–2017: these cars beat about seven in ten cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

Which Ford Focus years should I avoid?

Cars from before 2005 do worst: they beat only about one in three cars.

Which Ford Focus engine is best?

The 2.5 petrol (ST and RS, 2005–2011) beats more than nine in ten cars and the 1.5 petrol about eight in ten; the 2.3 petrol (RS and ST, 2016 on) beats about three in four. Of the most common engines, the 1.5 diesel beats about two in three and the 1.0 petrol more than half. The 1.4 petrol and 1.6 diesel do worst.

What are the most common MOT failures on the Ford Focus?

Headlight aim (about 1 in 20 tests), tyre damage, coil springs and sidelights.

How we calculate this. We use official MOT results for cars tested in Great Britain from 2018 to 2026. Each car is compared with typical cars of the same age and mileage, so old and new cars are judged fairly; “pts” are percentage points above or below them. Differences also reflect how cars are used and maintained, not only how they are built.

Ford Focus reliability

Verdict

Watch these weak spots

MOT pass rate by age

Best and worst years

Engines

Where it fails

Every MOT area

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Pass rate by mileage

Most common MOT failures

Specific defects found

Every year and engine

FAQ