2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ecoblue — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,547 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ecoblue, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, brakes and visibility. Its pass rate of 90.6% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (91.3%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.7% | 130 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.7% | 95 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.3% | 83 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 56 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 54 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.0% | 36 |
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 | 114 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 95 |
| 3 | Washers | 58 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 52 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 50 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 38 |
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 | 23.0% | 815 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.7% | 769 |
| 3 | Other defects | 10.3% | 366 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.4% | 297 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 85 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 12 |
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 | 1,674 | 7.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,748 | 11.0% |
| 60-90k | 119 | 10.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 121 | 7.4% |
| 2024 | 1,717 | 8.8% |
| 2025 | 1,708 | 10.1% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Kuga St-Line Ecoblue
Before buying a 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ecoblue, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 3.7% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (3.7% 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.
- Brakes (2.7% 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.
- Visibility (2.3% 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 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ecoblues pass their MOT?
90.6% of the 3,547 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ecoblue MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ecoblue?
Tyres, recorded in 3.7% of tests, followed by brakes (2.7%).
Does the 2021 Kuga St-Line Ecoblue get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.6% in the 0-30k band to 10.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,547 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.