2021 Ford Ecosport St-Line — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,055 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Ford Ecosport St-Line, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 89.4% was below the average for cars of a similar age (91.2%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.2% | 76 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.8% | 30 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 19 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.9% | 10 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 4 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 17 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 14 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 13 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 7 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 6 |
| 6 | Parking brake performance | 6 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 22.6% | 238 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.9% | 104 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.3% | 66 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.6% | 6 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.3% | 3 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 3 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 794 | 8.7% |
| 30-60k | 252 | 16.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 518 | 11.4% |
| 2025 | 534 | 9.9% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Ecosport St-Line
Before buying a 2021 Ford Ecosport St-Line, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 7.2% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (7.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (2.8% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Lighting & signalling (1.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2021 Ford Ecosport St-Lines pass their MOT?
89.4% of the 1,055 2021 Ford Ecosport St-Line MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Ecosport St-Line?
Tyres, recorded in 7.2% of tests, followed by brakes (2.8%).
Does the 2021 Ecosport St-Line get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.7% in the 0-30k band to 16.3% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,055 MOT tests. 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.