2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line T Mhev — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 10,964 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line T Mhev, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility. Its pass rate of 92.5% was above the average for cars of a similar age (90.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 14.3% in the 90-120k group versus 5.8% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.8% | 522 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.4% | 483 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.6% | 174 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.9% | 98 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 73 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 46 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 587 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 355 |
| 3 | Washers | 154 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 59 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 54 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 47 |
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 | 23.9% | 2,616 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.0% | 882 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.4% | 479 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 2.1% | 227 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 169 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.4% | 155 |
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 | 6,836 | 5.8% |
| 30-60k | 3,773 | 10.4% |
| 60-90k | 297 | 10.8% |
| 90-120k | 49 | 14.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 10,884 | 7.5% |
| Hybrid | 80 | 7.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3,532 | 6.5% |
| 2024 | 3,683 | 7.4% |
| 2025 | 3,730 | 8.7% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Fiesta St-Line T Mhev
Before buying a 2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line T Mhev, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 4.8% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (4.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.6% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£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 2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line T Mhevs pass their MOT?
92.5% of the 10,964 2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line T Mhev MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line T Mhev?
Tyres, recorded in 4.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.4%).
Does the 2020 Fiesta St-Line T Mhev get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.8% in the 0-30k band to 14.3% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,964 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.