2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line X Turbo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 6,105 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line X Turbo, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility. Its pass rate of 89.8% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (90.6%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 18.9% in the 60-90k group versus 8.0% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.4% | 388 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 352 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.3% | 82 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.3% | 80 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 66 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.6% | 38 |
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 | 465 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 177 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 79 |
| 4 | Washers | 74 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 71 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 34 |
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 | 23.1% | 1,410 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.8% | 782 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.7% | 346 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 5.4% | 328 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 90 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.1% | 67 |
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 | 3,492 | 8.0% |
| 30-60k | 2,408 | 12.8% |
| 60-90k | 196 | 18.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 77 | 3.9% |
| 2023 | 2,051 | 10.7% |
| 2024 | 1,952 | 9.5% |
| 2025 | 2,024 | 10.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Fiesta St-Line X Turbo
Before buying a 2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line X Turbo, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 6.4% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (6.4% 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 (5.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.3% 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 X Turbos pass their MOT?
89.8% of the 6,105 2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line X Turbo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Fiesta St-Line X Turbo?
Tyres, recorded in 6.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.8%).
Does the 2020 Fiesta St-Line X Turbo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.0% in the 0-30k band to 18.9% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,105 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.