Ford Fiesta MOT pass rates & common failures

Every completed first-attempt MOT on a Ford Fiesta in Great Britain in 2025 — 1,360,705 tests. Figures cover every Fiesta first-tested in 2025, all trims grouped. How the Fiesta ages, what it fails on, and what mileage is normal, computed directly from the official DVSA record of every test.

Pass rate 2025
65.6%
6.7 points below the class-4 average (72.3%); unadjusted for age — the age-matched comparison is below
Tests analysed
1,360,705
first tests, 2025
Arrived with a dangerous fault
8.3%
of Fiesta first tests; national 7.3%
Typical mileage at 10 years
63,750
middle half: 46,250–83,750 miles (2,500-mile-band midpoints)

How many Ford Fiesta cars are still on the road?

At the end of 2025, DVLA's register held 1,411,414 Ford Fiesta cars that were taxed or on SORN: 1,296,515 taxed and 114,899 on SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification — kept, but declared off the road by the keeper). The MOT figures above count tests; these count cars, across the whole United Kingdom, cars only. Ford Fiesta vans, where they exist, are counted by DVLA as goods vehicles and are not in these figures.

Still taxed, end of 2025
1,296,515
91.9% of the 1,411,414 Fiesta cars taxed or on SORN; 359 model variants grouped
On SORN, end of 2025
114,899
declared off the road by their keepers — 8.1% of that total

How the numbers are moving

The number of taxed Fiesta cars peaked at 1,546,591 at the end of 2019 and has since fallen by 250,076 (16.2%) to 1,296,515 at the end of 2025. Cars on SORN went from 43,765 at the end of 2014 to 114,899 at the end of 2025, up 162.5%. A car leaves the taxed count when it is scrapped, exported or declared off the road; the year-end counts do not say which.

Taxed Fiesta cars, year by year

Cars of this model taxed and on the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025.

0500k1M1.5M2M2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Taxed Fiesta cars, year 2014: 1.4MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2015: 1.5MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2016: 1.5MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2017: 1.5MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2018: 1.5MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2019: 1.5MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2020: 1.5MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2021: 1.5MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2022: 1.5MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2023: 1.4MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2024: 1.4MTaxed Fiesta cars, year 2025: 1.3M1.3M
View this chart as a table
YearTaxed Fiesta cars
20141,409,533
20151,456,575
20161,506,084
20171,519,143
20181,538,992
20191,546,591
20201,522,155
20211,492,085
20221,459,759
20231,428,206
20241,363,327
20251,296,515

Fiesta cars on SORN, year by year

Cars of this model declared off the road at the end of each year, 2014–2025. Its own scale — SORN counts are a fraction of the taxed count.

050k100k150k2014201620182020202220242025Year (count at the end of the year)Fiesta cars on SORN, year 2014: 44kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2015: 58kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2016: 68kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2017: 73kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2018: 76kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2019: 82kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2020: 91kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2021: 92kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2022: 94kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2023: 99kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2024: 106kFiesta cars on SORN, year 2025: 115k115k
View this chart as a table
YearFiesta cars on SORN
201443,765
201557,612
201667,643
201772,569
201876,178
201981,932
202090,888
202191,914
202293,510
202399,352
2024106,088
2025114,899

Which model years survive

Taxed Fiesta cars at the end of 2025 by year of manufacture, and each year's share of the 1,296,515 taxed in all. Every build year holding at least 1% has its own row; the rest share one. 36 taxed Fiesta cars have no recorded year of manufacture and are not in the table, so the rows add up to 1,296,479. A build year's count depends on how many were sold that year as well as how many have lasted.

Year of manufacture Taxed, end of 2025Share of taxed Fiesta cars
202324,9621.9%
202223,5781.8%
202126,2792.0%
202047,0633.6%
201973,9025.7%
201889,7436.9%
201785,1096.6%
2016106,1928.2%
2015116,4719.0%
2014113,5648.8%
2013103,8688.0%
201290,9097.0%
201175,9445.9%
201075,0935.8%
200977,4416.0%
200843,1383.3%
200738,4323.0%
200629,7942.3%
200517,0041.3%
200413,8511.1%
All other build years (32 years, each under 1%)24,1421.9%

Population source: Department for Transport / DVLA vehicle licensing statistics, table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026; counts of the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, United Kingdom, cars only, excluding cars recorded with no model name. SortedCars groups DVLA's model name FIESTA under this model. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, DVLA or the Department for Transport.

How the Fiesta ages

First-time pass rate by vehicle age, Fiesta vs all cars, 2025.

Ford FiestaAll cars
50%60%70%80%90%100%3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 3: 91%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 4: 88.6%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 5: 86.1%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 6: 84.7%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 7: 82.8%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 8: 74.5%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 9: 67.5%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 10: 64.9%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 11: 62.4%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 12: 60.5%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 13: 58.5%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 14: 57.7%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 15: 55.3%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 16: 53.8%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 17: 53%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 18: 53.3%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 19: 52.5%Ford Fiesta, vehicle age 20: 53.2%All cars, vehicle age 3: 88.5%All cars, vehicle age 4: 87.2%All cars, vehicle age 5: 86%All cars, vehicle age 6: 83.5%All cars, vehicle age 7: 80.9%All cars, vehicle age 8: 78.2%All cars, vehicle age 9: 74.9%All cars, vehicle age 10: 71.9%All cars, vehicle age 11: 68.6%All cars, vehicle age 12: 65.8%All cars, vehicle age 13: 63.5%All cars, vehicle age 14: 61.2%All cars, vehicle age 15: 59.3%All cars, vehicle age 16: 58.3%All cars, vehicle age 17: 57.2%All cars, vehicle age 18: 57.4%All cars, vehicle age 19: 57%All cars, vehicle age 20: 57.6%All cars 57.6%Ford Fiesta 53.2%
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Fiesta testsFiesta pass rateAll cars
325,51591.0%88.5%
427,74188.6%87.2%
549,63586.1%86.0%
678,06384.7%83.5%
792,86382.8%80.9%
889,40474.5%78.2%
9112,68467.5%74.9%
10123,46564.9%71.9%
11119,93162.4%68.6%
12109,53660.5%65.8%
1395,58858.5%63.5%
1480,77957.7%61.2%
1581,04955.3%59.3%
1684,36553.8%58.3%
1748,51753.0%57.2%
1843,65553.3%57.4%
1934,34952.5%57.0%
2019,94153.2%57.6%

Better or worse than the average car?

The Fiesta's pass rate minus the all-cars pass rate at each age, in percentage points. Bars above zero: the Fiesta beats the average car of that age. Below zero: it trails.

Fiesta aheadFiesta behind
-8-4+0+4+8Age 3: +2.5 points vs the average car3Age 4: +1.4 points vs the average carAge 5: +0.1 points vs the average car5Age 6: +1.2 points vs the average carAge 7: +1.9 points vs the average car7Age 8: -3.7 points vs the average carAge 9: -7.4 points vs the average car9Age 10: -7.0 points vs the average carAge 11: -6.2 points vs the average car11Age 12: -5.3 points vs the average carAge 13: -5.0 points vs the average car13Age 14: -3.5 points vs the average carAge 15: -4.0 points vs the average car15Age 16: -4.5 points vs the average carAge 17: -4.2 points vs the average car17Age 18: -4.1 points vs the average carAge 19: -4.5 points vs the average car19Age 20: -4.4 points vs the average car20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)Gap (points)
3+2.5
4+1.4
5+0.1
6+1.2
7+1.9
8-3.7
9-7.4
10-7.0
11-6.2
12-5.3
13-5.0
14-3.5
15-4.0
16-4.5
17-4.2
18-4.1
19-4.5
20-4.4

The Fiesta fleet on the road, by age

How many took a first MOT in 2025 at each age — the shape of the Fiesta fleet still in use.

050k100k150k200kAge 3: 25k3Age 4: 27kAge 5: 49k5Age 6: 78kAge 7: 92k7Age 8: 89kAge 9: 112k9Age 10: 123kAge 11: 119k11Age 12: 109kAge 13: 95k13Age 14: 80kAge 15: 81k15Age 16: 84kAge 17: 48k17Age 18: 43kAge 19: 34k19Age 20: 19k20Vehicle age (years)
View this chart as a table
Age (years)First tests
325,515
427,741
549,635
678,063
792,863
889,404
9112,684
10123,465
11119,931
12109,536
1395,588
1480,779
1581,049
1684,365
1748,517
1843,655
1934,349
2019,941

What a Fiesta fails on

Where the failure items land when a Fiesta fails or needs a fix at test, 2025. Use it as a pre-purchase checklist: these are the areas to look at first.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment30.3%
Suspension22.1%
Tyres12.7%
Brakes9.8%
Visibility6.6%
Noise, emissions and leaks6.4%
Steering5.1%
Body, chassis, structure5.0%

Share of all failure items, 2025 — the 8 biggest categories shown (97.9% of the items); smaller categories are not listed.

The advisories to watch

Where testers most often write "keep an eye on this" for a Fiesta, 2025 — the faults in the post.

Tyres: 28.6% of advisories28.6%Suspension: 27.3% of advisories27.3%Brakes: 19.8% of advisories19.8%Non-component advisories: 5.5% of advisoriesBody, chassis, structure: 3.9% of advisoriesRoad Wheels: 3.3% of advisories
TyresSuspensionBrakesNon-component advisoriesBody, chassis, structureRoad Wheels
View this chart as a table
CategoryShare of advisories
Tyres28.6%
Suspension27.3%
Brakes19.8%
Non-component advisories5.5%
Body, chassis, structure3.9%
Road Wheels3.3%

Petrol, diesel or hybrid Fiesta?

First-time pass rate for the three most-tested Fiesta fuel types, 2025, against the all-cars average. Fleet ages differ by fuel — newer fleets help the electrified bars.

50%60%70%80%90%100%all cars 72.3%Petrol: 66.9% of 1,194,989 tests66.9%Petrol1,194,989 testsDiesel: 56.2% of 165,144 tests56.2%Diesel165,144 testsHybrid electric: 90.4% of 553 tests90.4%Hybrid553 tests
View this chart as a table
FuelTestsPass rate
Petrol1,194,98966.9%
Diesel165,14456.2%
Hybrid electric55390.4%

What mileage is normal for a Fiesta?

Mileage recorded at test by vehicle age, 2025. The line is the typical (median) Fiesta; the shaded band holds the middle half. A car far outside the band, in either direction, is worth questions the recorded history can answer.

Typical Fiesta (median)
0k25k50k75k100k125k3579111315171920Vehicle age (years)Age 3: typical 18,750 miles (middle half 11,250–26,250)Age 4: typical 26,250 miles (middle half 16,250–36,250)Age 5: typical 31,250 miles (middle half 21,250–43,750)Age 6: typical 36,250 miles (middle half 26,250–51,250)Age 7: typical 43,750 miles (middle half 31,250–58,750)Age 8: typical 51,250 miles (middle half 36,250–66,250)Age 9: typical 56,250 miles (middle half 41,250–76,250)Age 10: typical 63,750 miles (middle half 46,250–83,750)Age 11: typical 71,250 miles (middle half 51,250–91,250)Age 12: typical 76,250 miles (middle half 56,250–98,750)Age 13: typical 81,250 miles (middle half 61,250–106,250)Age 14: typical 88,750 miles (middle half 66,250–113,750)Age 15: typical 93,750 miles (middle half 71,250–118,750)Age 16: typical 96,250 miles (middle half 71,250–118,750)Age 17: typical 93,750 miles (middle half 71,250–116,250)Age 18: typical 93,750 miles (middle half 68,750–116,250)Age 19: typical 93,750 miles (middle half 71,250–118,750)Age 20: typical 93,750 miles (middle half 68,750–116,250)93k mi

Mileage values are midpoints of 2,500-mile bands.

View this chart as a table
Age (years)Lower quarterTypical (median)Upper quarter
311,25018,75026,250
416,25026,25036,250
521,25031,25043,750
626,25036,25051,250
731,25043,75058,750
836,25051,25066,250
941,25056,25076,250
1046,25063,75083,750
1151,25071,25091,250
1256,25076,25098,750
1361,25081,250106,250
1466,25088,750113,750
1571,25093,750118,750
1671,25096,250118,750
1771,25093,750116,250
1868,75093,750116,250
1971,25093,750118,750
2068,75093,750116,250

What fails at each age

The Fiesta's failure mix by age band, 2025 — each band's top categories at their true share of that band's failure items; the pale remainder is everything else. How the mix shifts with age is the point of the chart.

TyresBrakesLamps, reflectors and electrical equipmentVisibilityNoise, emissions and leaksSuspensionBody, chassis, structureEverything else
View this chart as a table
Age bandCategoryShare of the band's failure items
3-5 yrsTyres44.9%
3-5 yrsBrakes14.8%
3-5 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment13.3%
3-5 yrsVisibility7.8%
3-5 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks6.5%
3-5 yrsEverything else12.7%
6-9 yrsTyres23.0%
6-9 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment22.4%
6-9 yrsSuspension19.7%
6-9 yrsBrakes11.1%
6-9 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks6.8%
6-9 yrsEverything else17.0%
10-13 yrsSuspension27.6%
10-13 yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment23.9%
10-13 yrsTyres15.1%
10-13 yrsBrakes7.8%
10-13 yrsNoise, emissions and leaks7.3%
10-13 yrsEverything else18.3%
14+ yrsSuspension25.6%
14+ yrsLamps, reflectors and electrical equipment24.2%
14+ yrsBrakes13.0%
14+ yrsTyres10.0%
14+ yrsBody, chassis, structure7.0%
14+ yrsEverything else20.2%

More vehicles we've checked

How these figures are computed. Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from the DVSA anonymised MOT results dataset (every MOT test in Great Britain — 2025 for single-year figures; trend figures state their span, currently 2023–2025). Where a figure comes from a sample or uses banded values (mileage is banded to 2,500 miles), the page says so beside the figure. Test class 4 only, first tests only — retests are excluded. Class 4 is the car MOT class and also covers car-derived vans, pickups and motorhomes tested to the same standard; where this page says "cars" it means class 4. Pass rate = passes ÷ (passes + failures + pass-after-rectification): a vehicle that failed and was fixed during the visit counts as a fail. Pass rates describe fleets, not individual machines: they reflect how cars were driven, maintained and used as well as how they were built, and beyond recorded mileage none of that is in the data. A well-kept example of a model with a weak average can still pass; a neglected example of a strong one can still fail. No figure is shown for any group with fewer than 500 tests. Alias spellings of a make in the DVSA file are counted under one make name, and all trims and variants of a model are grouped under one model name, using SortedCars' grouping tables. The taxed and SORN counts on this page are the one exception: they are not computed from MOT records but taken from the Department for Transport's vehicle licensing statistics (DfT/DVLA table VEH0124, updated 15 July 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0), which count the cars on DVLA's register that were taxed or on SORN at the end of each year shown, UK-wide, cars only. They describe a model as a whole, grouped under SortedCars' model names, and say nothing about any one car. “Dangerous” is DVSA's statutory defect category (in force since May 2018): a defect posing an immediate risk to road safety — driving the vehicle before repair is an offence. What these figures are for. These statistics are general information about groups of vehicles. They are not advice, a valuation or a recommendation to buy, avoid or price any particular vehicle, and no decision about one car should rest on them alone — check the car itself and its own records. We take care over the calculations, but we cannot guarantee they are complete, current or free of error, and we accept no liability for loss arising from reliance on them. This does not limit any liability that cannot lawfully be limited — see our Terms & Conditions. If you believe any figure on this page is inaccurate, contact us. SortedCars is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the DVSA or DVLA. DVSA publishes the raw test records; the statistics on this page are SortedCars' own calculations from them. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.