2014 Ford Kuga — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Ford Kuga passed 84.1% of its 133,806 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.1 percentage points better than mid-size SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 18.0%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (8.4%) and tyres (6.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, tread depth and brake pads — position lamp alone was recorded 6,281 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.1% once past 150k — 2.9× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.1% fail against 16.1% for diesel, a 1.9-point gap across 133,806 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.4% | 11,289 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.3% | 8,365 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.9% | 6,583 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 4,740 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.0% | 2,659 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.7% | 2,317 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 6,281 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 4,339 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 4,211 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 3,297 |
| 5 | Wipers | 3,250 |
| 6 | Washers | 2,255 |
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 | 27.3% | 36,530 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.0% | 25,452 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.1% | 18,822 |
| 4 | Other defects | 10.4% | 13,891 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 5,343 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.1% | 4,133 |
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 | 3,019 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 36,182 | 11.4% |
| 60-90k | 58,305 | 16.2% |
| 90-120k | 27,820 | 20.3% |
| 120-150k | 6,742 | 21.9% |
| 150k+ | 1,699 | 23.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 125,641 | 16.1% |
| Petrol | 8,165 | 14.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 26,252 | 12.9% |
| 2022 | 26,469 | 13.9% |
| 2023 | 26,957 | 16.0% |
| 2024 | 27,116 | 17.8% |
| 2025 | 27,012 | 18.9% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Kuga
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.4% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.3% 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 (4.9% 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 2014 Ford Kugas pass their MOT?
84.1% of the 133,806 2014 Ford Kuga MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Ford Kuga?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.4% of tests, followed by tyres (6.3%).
Does the 2014 Kuga get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 23.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 133,806 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.