2015 Ford Focus MOT pass rate, common failures & what to check

In 2025, 72.4% of Ford Focus cars first used in 2015 passed their MOT first time, against 71.9% for all cars first used in 2015. Across 225,568 Focus first tests from 2023 to 2025, the most common failure areas were lamps and electrical equipment, tyres and brakes.

This page analyses first MOT tests for Ford Focus cars first used in 2015 (all trims grouped): 2021 to 2025 for the pass-rate trend, and 2023 to 2025 for the failure and advisory analysis — plus what is worth checking before you buy one.

Data: DVSA anonymised MOT tests to December 2025 · Calculated by SortedCars · Updated October 2026

Passed first time, 2025
72.4%
of 74,065 first tests; all cars first used in 2015: 71.9%. Fixed-at-the-test counts as a fail
Tests analysed
225,568
first tests, 2023–2025; 74,065 in 2025
Clean pass, 2025
40.4%
of 74,065 first tests in 2025, passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded
Typical mileage, tested in 2025
77,500
middle half: 58,500–98,500 miles; all cars first used in 2015: 74,000

How the 2015 Ford Focus MOT pass rate has changed

Share of first tests passed in each year, Focus cars first used in 2015 against all cars first used in 2015 (any make or fuel; not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use). In 2025 the Focus figure was in line with the all-cars figure.

2015 FocusAll cars first used in 2015
70%80%90%20212022202320242025Test year (first tests)All cars first used in 2015, test year 2021: 79.7%All cars first used in 2015, test year 2022: 77.8%All cars first used in 2015, test year 2023: 75.5%All cars first used in 2015, test year 2024: 73.5%All cars first used in 2015, test year 2025: 71.9%2015 Focus, test year 2021: 83.5%2015 Focus, test year 2022: 81.4%2015 Focus, test year 2023: 78.6%2015 Focus, test year 2024: 75.6%2015 Focus, test year 2025: 72.4%72.4%71.9%
View this chart as a table
Test year2015 FocusAll cars first used 2015Focus first tests
202183.5%79.7%77,118
202281.4%77.8%76,640
202378.6%75.5%76,062
202475.6%73.5%75,441
202572.4%71.9%74,065

Common 2015 Ford Focus MOT failures

Share of the 55,090 failed first tests (2023–2025) with at least one failure in each area. A test can fail in more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment40.3%
Tyres38.0%
Brakes17.8%
Noise, emissions and leaks12.7%
Visibility12.1%
Suspension9.9%
Body, chassis, structure4.3%
Steering3.3%

Most common failure items

DVSA failure itemShare of failed first testsTests
Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative14.9%8,212
Tread depth: below requirements of 1.6mm9.9%5,479
Position lamp: not working8.4%4,645
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick7.3%3,995
Tyre condition: has ply or cords exposed6.5%3,580

Item names are DVSA’s own wording. 2023–2025 combined.

What to check on a 2015 Ford Focus before buying

The three areas where failed first tests most often had a fault, 2023–2025.

  1. Lamps and electrics. Ask someone to watch while you work the brake lights, indicators, sidelights, dipped and main beam, and the number-plate lamps.
  2. Tyres. Worth checking the tread depth across the whole width of each tyre, and the sidewalls for cuts, cracks and bulges.
  3. Brakes. Worth looking at the discs and pads through the wheel spokes for scoring and a worn lip, and noticing on the test drive whether the car pulls to one side or the pedal feels long.

Common 2015 Ford Focus MOT advisories

Advisories are points the tester noted that did not fail the car. Most common on 2015 Focus cars, as a share of all 225,568 first tests, 2023–2025.

DVSA advisory itemShare of first testsTests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge17.9%40,437
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing8.3%18,623
Brake pads: wearing thin7.7%17,454
Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement5.2%11,763
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened4.2%9,438

Questions about the 2015 Ford Focus MOT

What is the MOT pass rate of a 2015 Ford Focus?

In 2025, 72.4% of Focus cars first used in 2015 passed their MOT first time, against 71.9% for all cars first used in 2015. A car fixed during the test counts as a fail.

What does a 2015 Focus most often fail its MOT on?

Lamps and electrical equipment (in 40.3% of failed first tests, 2023–2025), tyres (38.0%) and brakes (17.8%). The single most common item was “Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative” (14.9%).

How often does a 2015 Ford Focus fail its MOT?

In 2025, 27.6% of first tests on Focus cars first used in 2015 did not pass first time: 21.5% failed, and a further 6.1% had a fault fixed during the test (counted as a fail here). Across 2023–2025, 55,090 of 225,568 first tests did not pass first time.

What are the most common 2015 Ford Focus MOT advisories?

“Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge” (on 17.9% of first tests, 2023–2025), “Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing” (8.3%), “Brake pads: wearing thin” (7.7%), “Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement” (5.2%) and “Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened” (4.2%).

Is a 2015 Ford Focus reliable?

An MOT pass rate shows what failed at the test, not how reliable a car is. For this group of cars the first-time pass rate went from 83.5% in 2021 to 72.4% in 2025. For one particular car, its own MOT history matters more than the average.

Other cars first used in 2015

The most-tested cars from the same year. Each page uses the same method.

2015 Ford Fiesta MOT statistics · 2015 Vauxhall Corsa MOT statistics · 2015 Volkswagen Golf MOT statistics · 2015 Nissan Qashqai MOT statistics · 2015 Volkswagen Polo MOT statistics

How the 2015 Ford Focus MOT data is calculated

Every number on this page is calculated by SortedCars from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test data for Great Britain, 2021–2025. “2015 Focus” means a Ford Focus whose date of first use falls in 2015 (64, 15 and 65 plates), all trims grouped. Class 4 vehicles, first tests only — retests are not counted. Pass rate = passed ÷ all first tests; a car with a fault fixed during the test (PRS) counts as a fail. Our national first-test pass rate matches DVSA’s published figure (table DVSA/MOT/01) to within 0.04 points in every year. Clean pass = passed with no advisory and no minor defect recorded. Mileage is the reading recorded at the test. Comparisons are with all cars first used in 2015, any make or fuel, and are not adjusted for mileage, fuel or use. Failure and advisory item names are DVSA’s own wording. No figure is shown for fewer than 500 tests; an item is shown only if it appears on at least 50 tests and 1% of the base. Pass rates describe a group of cars, not one car: a well-kept example can pass and a neglected one can fail. This page is general information, not advice about any particular vehicle; always have a used car inspected before you buy. SortedCars is not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. You can check any car’s MOT history free on the official service: gov.uk/check-mot-history. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.