2012 Ford Kuga — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Ford Kuga passed 77.3% of its 60,198 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as mid-size SUVs of a similar age (22.2% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (11.5%) and lighting & signalling (11.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, position lamp and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 6,355 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 19.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.1% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 21.3% of the time against 22.7% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 21.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.5% | 6,892 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.1% | 6,688 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.1% | 3,660 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.5% | 2,709 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.5% | 2,120 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.9% | 1,776 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 6,355 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,624 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,467 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 2,205 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,760 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,502 |
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 | 29.7% | 17,866 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.0% | 11,447 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.6% | 11,204 |
| 4 | Other defects | 14.1% | 8,509 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.8% | 4,680 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 7.6% | 4,570 |
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 | 546 | 19.8% |
| 30-60k | 6,374 | 18.6% |
| 60-90k | 21,599 | 21.4% |
| 90-120k | 20,308 | 23.9% |
| 120-150k | 8,415 | 25.2% |
| 150k+ | 2,830 | 25.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 58,929 | 22.7% |
| Petrol | 1,269 | 21.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,349 | 21.9% |
| 2022 | 12,313 | 22.2% |
| 2023 | 12,197 | 22.7% |
| 2024 | 11,785 | 22.6% |
| 2025 | 11,554 | 24.1% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Kuga
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 11.5% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (11.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (11.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.1% 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.
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 2012 Ford Kugas pass their MOT?
77.3% of the 60,198 2012 Ford Kuga MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Ford Kuga?
Suspension, recorded in 11.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.1%).
Does the 2012 Kuga get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.8% in the 0-30k band to 25.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 60,198 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.