Verdict
The Ford Fusion passes its MOT first time on 60.5% of tests, 0.5 points higher than a typical car of the same age and mileage (60.0%). That puts it ahead of 53% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.
By year of first registration, the 2011 Fusion does best (beats 63% of cars) and the 2006 worst (beats 44%).
Of its engines, the 1.6 Diesel does best (beats 56%) and the 1.4 Diesel worst (beats 49%).
Better than average on suspension, seat belts & airbags.
Watch these weak spots
MOT pass rate by age
First-time pass rate at each MOT by the car’s age in years.
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.
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 | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 61.2% | Beats 54% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 61.9% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 56.8% | Beats 49% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 59.9% | Beats 56% | C |
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.
Every MOT area
Share of tests failing on each area, against a typical car of the same age and mileage (black line).
Buying one or MOT due? Check these
- Brake lights 2.2× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid. - Wheel bearings 2.2× typical
Listen for a hum or drone that rises with speed. - Shock absorbers 1.4× typical
Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers. - Headlight aim
Park facing a wall at night: both dipped beams should sit level and dip to the left. - Headlight bulbs & units
Check dipped and main beam on both sides. - Windscreen wipers
Test the washers and wipers: a cheap fix, but a very common MOT fail.
Pass rate by mileage
First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.
Most common MOT failures
| Item | This car | Typical | vs typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brake lights | 8.5% | 3.9% | 2.2× |
| Headlight aim | 5.2% | 4.9% | 1.1× |
| Brake pipes | 5.0% | 1.9% | 2.6× |
| Headlight bulbs & units | 4.1% | 3.5% | 1.2× |
| Sidelights | 4.0% | 4.7% | 0.9× |
| Windscreen wipers | 3.9% | 3.0% | 1.3× |
| Rear fog light | 3.6% | 0.8% | 4.4× |
| Tyre damage & cracking | 2.9% | 3.8% | 0.8× |
| Tyre tread depth | 2.7% | 2.9% | 0.9× |
| Exhaust system | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.1× |
Specific defects found
Tester wording for the most frequent failure items, per 1,000 tests.
| Defect | per 1,000 |
|---|---|
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 73.7 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 52.0 |
| Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 44.9 |
| Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 39.0 |
| An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 34.7 |
| A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 32.3 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 31.4 |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 27.2 |
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.
2012 Ford Fusion1 engine74.8% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 74.8% | Beats 60% | C |
2011 Ford Fusion3 engines72.2% passB
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 72.2% | Beats 62% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 73.9% | Beats 70% | B |
| 1.4 Diesel | 67.7% | Beats 57% | C |
2010 Ford Fusion4 engines66.6% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 68.7% | Beats 59% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 68.5% | Beats 51% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 61.8% | Beats 42% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 62.5% | Beats 47% | C |
2009 Ford Fusion4 engines65.1% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 66.9% | Beats 61% | B |
| 1.6 Petrol | 66.6% | Beats 57% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 60.7% | Beats 49% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 62.5% | Beats 59% | C |
2008 Ford Fusion4 engines63.1% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 63.8% | Beats 60% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 65.1% | Beats 60% | B |
| 1.4 Diesel | 59.7% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 60.0% | Beats 57% | C |
2007 Ford Fusion4 engines59.9% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 60.5% | Beats 52% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 61.8% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 55.0% | Beats 42% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 58.9% | Beats 58% | C |
2006 Ford Fusion4 engines56.3% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 56.8% | Beats 44% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 57.7% | Beats 43% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 52.7% | Beats 39% | D |
| 1.6 Diesel | 54.8% | Beats 48% | C |
2005 Ford Fusion4 engines57.6% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 58.0% | Beats 56% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 58.7% | Beats 56% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 54.6% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.6 Diesel | 58.8% | Beats 66% | B |
2004 Ford Fusion3 engines55.8% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 56.4% | Beats 54% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 56.1% | Beats 53% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 54.3% | Beats 57% | C |
2003 Ford Fusion3 engines53.4% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4 Petrol | 53.5% | Beats 45% | C |
| 1.6 Petrol | 53.6% | Beats 47% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 52.8% | Beats 53% | C |
2002 Ford Fusion3 engines51.5% passC
| Engine | Pass rate | Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 Petrol | 49.6% | Beats 32% | D |
| 1.4 Petrol | 52.6% | Beats 41% | C |
| 1.4 Diesel | 53.0% | Beats 52% | C |
FAQ
What is the Ford Fusion MOT pass rate?
60.5% of MOT tests on the Ford Fusion were passed first time, based on 563,205 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 2002–2012. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 60.0% of the time.
Is the Ford Fusion reliable?
On MOT results it rates C (average): it passes first time more often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 53% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.
Which Ford Fusion year is best?
Among years with enough data, the 2011 Fusion does best for its age and mileage: it beats 63% of cars on UK roads. The 2006 does worst: it beats 44%.
Which Ford Fusion engine is best?
Across all years, the 1.6 Diesel does best: it beats 56% of cars on UK roads. The 1.4 Diesel does worst: it beats 49%.
What are the most common MOT failures on the Ford Fusion?
The most common failure items are brake lights, headlight aim, brake pipes. Compared with similar cars, brake lights comes up 2.2× as often.