2020 Ford Focus St — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,603 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Ford Focus St, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 88.8% was below the average for cars of a similar age (90.6%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 8.1% | 371 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 82 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.7% | 76 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.7% | 32 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 32 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 20 |
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 | 72 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 69 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 53 |
| 4 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 26 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 26 |
| 6 | Washers | 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 | 21.1% | 969 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.9% | 777 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.7% | 214 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 3.3% | 152 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.1% | 52 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.1% | 52 |
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 | 2,902 | 10.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,588 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 107 | 14.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 122 | 7.4% |
| 2023 | 1,534 | 11.3% |
| 2024 | 1,458 | 10.6% |
| 2025 | 1,489 | 11.9% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Focus St
Before buying a 2020 Ford Focus St, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 8.1% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (8.1% 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 (1.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.7% 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.
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 Focus Sts pass their MOT?
88.8% of the 4,603 2020 Ford Focus St MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Focus St?
Tyres, recorded in 8.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.8%).
Does the 2020 Focus St get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.1% in the 0-30k band to 14.9% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,603 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.