2020 Ford Puma — MOT failures & pass rate
82,451 MOT tests on the 2020 Ford Puma are in this dataset, and 93.6% of them passed. Against small SUVs of a similar age (8.0% fail rate), the 2020 Puma comes out 1.5pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.3%) and brakes (1.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, headlamp aim and washers — brake pads alone was recorded 1,238 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.8% versus 4.4%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 6.4% fail against 8.9% for hybrid, a 2.5-point gap across 82,447 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 1.8% of tests failed in 2022 against 8.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.3% | 2,705 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.7% | 1,366 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 1,230 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.4% | 1,183 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 471 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.3% | 224 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 1,238 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,148 |
| 3 | Washers | 996 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 702 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 499 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 364 |
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 | 18.1% | 14,952 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.6% | 11,240 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.4% | 5,249 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.1% | 865 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.8% | 681 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.6% | 497 |
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 | 50,823 | 4.4% |
| 30-60k | 29,384 | 9.3% |
| 60-90k | 2,050 | 14.0% |
| 90-120k | 173 | 20.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 81,708 | 6.4% |
| Hybrid | 739 | 8.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 706 | 1.8% |
| 2023 | 26,922 | 4.9% |
| 2024 | 26,873 | 6.1% |
| 2025 | 27,943 | 8.3% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Puma
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.3% 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 (1.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2020 Ford Pumas pass their MOT?
93.6% of the 82,451 2020 Ford Puma MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Puma?
Tyres, recorded in 3.3% of tests, followed by brakes (1.7%).
Does the 2020 Puma get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.4% in the 0-30k band to 20.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 82,451 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.