2021 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhev — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 6,363 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhev, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility. Its pass rate of 92.3% was above the average for cars of a similar age (91.3%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 16.4% in the 60-90k group versus 6.1% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.5% | 351 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 121 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.2% | 78 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.0% | 65 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 19 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 18 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 219 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 98 |
| 3 | Washers | 61 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 30 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 29 |
| 6 | Wipers | 21 |
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 | 24.5% | 1,557 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.4% | 788 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.8% | 434 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 1.8% | 112 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.2% | 79 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 32 |
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 | 3,777 | 6.1% |
| 30-60k | 2,417 | 9.5% |
| 60-90k | 146 | 16.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,261 | 7.6% |
| Hybrid | 102 | 7.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 196 | 6.1% |
| 2024 | 3,087 | 7.2% |
| 2025 | 3,078 | 8.3% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Focus St-Line X Mhev
Before buying a 2021 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhev, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 5.5% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (5.5% 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 (1.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.2% 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 2021 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhevs pass their MOT?
92.3% of the 6,363 2021 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhev MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhev?
Tyres, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.9%).
Does the 2021 Focus St-Line X Mhev get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.1% in the 0-30k band to 16.4% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,363 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.