2020 Ford Focus — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 128,912 MOT tests, the 2020 Ford Focus recorded a 90.5% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail at 8.9%, so the 2020 Focus sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.7%) and lighting & signalling (2.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 3,152 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.6% in the 0-30k band and 16.9% in the 150k+ band, a 10.3-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.9pp more often than petrol ones (11.5% vs 8.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 12.4% in 2021 to 10.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.7% | 5,999 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 2,942 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.2% | 2,891 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 2,289 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.2% | 1,521 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 813 |
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 | 3,152 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 2,716 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,044 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 1,553 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 1,102 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,014 |
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 | 23.2% | 29,940 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.3% | 23,554 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.3% | 8,091 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.4% | 1,843 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.0% | 1,323 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.0% | 1,240 |
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 | 63,500 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 53,680 | 11.6% |
| 60-90k | 9,806 | 15.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,557 | 16.0% |
| 120-150k | 302 | 15.2% |
| 150k+ | 65 | 16.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 88,404 | 8.5% |
| Diesel | 40,362 | 11.5% |
| Hybrid | 146 | 5.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 129 | 12.4% |
| 2022 | 2,539 | 7.4% |
| 2023 | 42,745 | 8.6% |
| 2024 | 41,373 | 9.2% |
| 2025 | 42,126 | 10.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Focus
On a 2020 Focus, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.7% 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 (2.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.2% 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 Focuss pass their MOT?
90.5% of the 128,912 2020 Ford Focus MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Focus?
Tyres, recorded in 4.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.3%).
Does the 2020 Focus get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 16.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 128,912 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.