Ford C-Max vs Ford S-Max

On MOT-testable defects, the Ford C-Max (fail rate 19.2%) performed better than the Ford S-Max (22.7%) across comparable years. The biggest divergence was body, structure & corrosion, where the S-Max recorded failures more often.

19.2%
C-Max fail rate
22.7%
S-Max fail rate
3.55pp
Difference

Side by side

MOT figures compared
MetricFord C-MaxFord S-Max
MOT tests analysed707,760482,969
Pass rate80.8%77.3%
Fail rate19.2%22.7%
Fail rate compared (lower is better) Ford C-Max 19.2% Ford S-Max 22.7%
Overall MOT fail rate across comparable model years.

Where they differ

Failure-area share, by category
CategoryC-MaxS-Max
Body, structure & corrosion0.0%4.5%
Visibility3.9%0.0%
Lighting & signalling9.5%10.9%
Suspension6.0%7.4%
Brakes4.9%5.7%
Tyres6.7%7.5%

Methodology & source. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.

See the full data