Ford Ka Reliability: MOT Pass Rate by Year & Engine

Verdict

The Ford Ka passes its MOT first time on 65.4% of tests, 6.8 points lower than a typical car of the same age and mileage (72.3%). That puts it ahead of 15% of cars on UK roads once age and mileage are taken into account.

By year of first registration, the 2019 Ka does best (beats 58% of cars) and the 2007 worst (beats 2%).

Of its engines, the 1.2 Petrol does best (beats 28%) and the 1.3 Petrol worst (beats 2%).

Watch these weak spots

Suspension1.9×as often as a typical car

Brakes1.3×as often as a typical car

Component mounting prescribed areas9.4×as often as a typical car

Shock absorbers4.5×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 KaTypical 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 9%

Beats 4%

Beats 4%

Beats 4%

Beats 4%

Beats 4%

Beats 5%

Beats 4%

Beats 3%

Beats 3%

Beats 2%

Beats 2%

Beats 31%

Beats 28%

Beats 34%

Beats 31%

Beats 29%

Beats 22%

Beats 9%

Beats 8%

Beats 55%

Beats 25%

Beats 58%

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
1.2 Petrol	2008–2019	1,306,767	72.0%	Beats 28%	D
1.3 Petrol	1997–2009	387,768	45.9%	Beats 2%	E
1.6 Petrol	2003–2008	44,660	47.0%	Beats 8%	E
1.2 Diesel	2009–2012	19,631	58.3%	Beats 25%	D

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

Suspension: 16.0% of tests fail on suspension, against 8.5% for a typical car of the same age and mileage. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and push each corner down: it should settle at once.

Every MOT area

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

Suspension

16.0% vs 8.5%

Lights & electrics

12.6% vs 10.8%

Brakes

7.8% vs 6.1%

Tyres

6.6% vs 5.6%

Visibility

6.4% vs 4.9%

Body & structure

4.8% vs 2.9%

Emissions & leaks

3.0% vs 2.5%

Seat belts & airbags

2.3% vs 0.8%

Steering

1.3% vs 1.5%

Wheels

0.4% vs 0.3%

Buying one or MOT due? Check these

Shock absorbers 4.5× typical
Push down hard on each corner: it should rebound once and settle. Look for oily dampers.
Suspension arm bushes 2.9× typical
Listen for knocks over speed bumps and feel for wandering or vague steering.
Brake lights 1.5× typical
Walk around with the lights on: bulb failures are the easiest MOT fails to avoid.
Exhaust system 2.0× typical
Listen for a blowing exhaust at start-up and look for heavy corrosion underneath.
Handbrake performance 1.9× typical
Check the handbrake holds the car firmly on a slope.
Tyre damage & cracking
Look for cuts, bulges and cracking on both sidewalls of every tyre.

Pass rate by mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage at the test.

Ford KaTypical car

Most common MOT failures

Item	This car	Typical	vs typical
Shock absorbers	3.9%	0.9%	4.5×
Component mounting prescribed areas	3.7%	0.4%	9.4×
Tyre damage & cracking	3.4%	3.2%	1.1×
Brake lights	3.3%	2.2%	1.5×
Windscreen wipers	3.2%	2.4%	1.3×
Headlight aim	2.9%	2.8%	1.0×
Suspension arm bushes	2.9%	1.0%	2.9×
Tyre tread depth	2.7%	2.0%	1.4×
Windscreen washers	2.7%	2.0%	1.3×
Sidelights	2.5%	2.3%	1.1×

Specific defects found

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

Defect	per 1,000
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn	57.6
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	40.1
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen	31.6
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	30.6
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements	29.0
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements	27.4
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen	26.5
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage	22.9

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.

2019 Ford Ka1 engine88.6% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	48,100	88.6%	Beats 58%	C

2018 Ford Ka1 engine84.7% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	64,094	84.7%	Beats 25%	D

2017 Ford Ka1 engine86.0% passC

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	90,259	86.0%	Beats 55%	C

2016 Ford Ka1 engine78.5% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	64,856	78.5%	Beats 8%	E

2015 Ford Ka1 engine76.5% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	116,857	76.5%	Beats 9%	E

2014 Ford Ka1 engine75.3% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	162,499	75.3%	Beats 22%	D

2013 Ford Ka1 engine72.3% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	163,296	72.3%	Beats 29%	D

2012 Ford Ka2 engines69.4% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	149,067	69.5%	Beats 31%	D
1.2 Diesel	1,612	63.2%	Beats 18%	E

2011 Ford Ka2 engines66.8% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	135,458	67.1%	Beats 35%	D
1.2 Diesel	6,062	60.6%	Beats 23%	D

2010 Ford Ka2 engines61.6% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	158,383	61.8%	Beats 28%	D
1.2 Diesel	6,470	56.6%	Beats 23%	D

2009 Ford Ka3 engines60.1% passD

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.2 Petrol	152,191	60.5%	Beats 33%	D
1.2 Diesel	5,487	56.2%	Beats 30%	D
1.3 Petrol	4,796	52.6%	Beats 3%	E

2008 Ford Ka3 engines48.7% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	86,897	48.5%	Beats 2%	E
1.2 Petrol	1,707	55.6%	Beats 19%	E
1.6 Petrol	1,583	47.6%	Beats 2%	E

2007 Ford Ka2 engines46.3% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	76,968	46.3%	Beats 2%	E
1.6 Petrol	2,005	46.9%	Beats 3%	E

2006 Ford Ka2 engines46.5% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	56,946	46.1%	Beats 2%	E
1.6 Petrol	5,632	50.9%	Beats 9%	E

2005 Ford Ka2 engines44.3% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	42,492	43.1%	Beats 2%	E
1.6 Petrol	13,421	48.2%	Beats 9%	E

2004 Ford Ka2 engines43.2% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	37,099	42.4%	Beats 2%	E
1.6 Petrol	13,075	45.4%	Beats 9%	E

2003 Ford Ka2 engines43.9% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	30,010	43.6%	Beats 4%	E
1.6 Petrol	8,944	44.9%	Beats 10%	E

2002 Ford Ka1 engine44.4% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	26,628	44.4%	Beats 4%	E

2001 Ford Ka1 engine45.3% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	13,300	45.3%	Beats 4%	E

2000 Ford Ka1 engine47.2% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	5,982	47.2%	Beats 4%	E

1999 Ford Ka1 engine48.8% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	3,528	48.8%	Beats 4%	E

1998 Ford Ka1 engine50.2% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	2,096	50.2%	Beats 4%	E

1997 Ford Ka1 engine56.6% passE

Engine	Tests	Pass rate	Rank	Grade
1.3 Petrol	1,026	56.6%	Beats 9%	E

FAQ

What is the Ford Ka MOT pass rate?

65.4% of MOT tests on the Ford Ka were passed first time, based on 1,758,826 tests between 2018 and 2026 of cars first registered 1997–2019. A typical car of the same age and mileage passes 72.3% of the time.

Is the Ford Ka reliable?

On MOT results it rates E (poor): it passes first time less often than a typical car of the same age and mileage and does better than 15% of cars on UK roads. MOT results cover safety and emissions items, not every kind of breakdown.

Which Ford Ka year is best?

Among years with enough data, the 2019 Ka does best for its age and mileage: it beats 58% of cars on UK roads. The 2007 does worst: it beats 2%.

Which Ford Ka engine is best?

Across all years, the 1.2 Petrol does best: it beats 28% of cars on UK roads. The 1.3 Petrol does worst: it beats 2%.

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

The most common failure items are shock absorbers, component mounting prescribed areas, tyre damage & cracking. Compared with similar cars, component mounting prescribed areas comes up 9.4× as often.

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 Ka 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