2015 Ford Kuga — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 178,117 MOT tests, the 2015 Ford Kuga recorded an 85.9% pass rate. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 15.8% of the time, so this is 1.7pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.8%) and tyres (6.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, brake pads and tread depth — position lamp alone was recorded 7,886 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.0% once past 150k — 3.3× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.2pp more often than petrol ones (14.3% vs 12.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 12,073 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.1% | 10,865 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.5% | 8,024 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.5% | 6,197 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 2,449 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 2,202 |
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 | 7,886 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 5,579 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 5,384 |
| 4 | Wipers | 4,830 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 3,603 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 3,508 |
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 | 26.1% | 46,513 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.6% | 33,189 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.4% | 20,249 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.7% | 17,270 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 6,304 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.1% | 5,458 |
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 | 8,365 | 6.4% |
| 30-60k | 67,247 | 10.5% |
| 60-90k | 70,670 | 15.8% |
| 90-120k | 25,435 | 19.5% |
| 120-150k | 5,057 | 20.6% |
| 150k+ | 1,255 | 21.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 159,478 | 14.3% |
| Petrol | 18,639 | 12.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34,737 | 10.9% |
| 2022 | 35,223 | 12.4% |
| 2023 | 35,634 | 14.0% |
| 2024 | 36,158 | 15.7% |
| 2025 | 36,365 | 17.3% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Kuga
On a 2015 Kuga, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.8% 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.
- Brakes (4.5% 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 2015 Ford Kugas pass their MOT?
85.9% of the 178,117 2015 Ford Kuga MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Ford Kuga?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by tyres (6.1%).
Does the 2015 Kuga get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.4% in the 0-30k band to 21.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 178,117 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.