2021 Ford Puma — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 60,592 MOT tests, the 2021 Ford Puma recorded a 94.9% pass rate. Against small SUVs of a similar age (7.2% fail rate), the 2021 Puma comes out 2.0pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.9%) and lighting & signalling (1.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, washers and tread depth — headlamp aim alone was recorded 1,118 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 3.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 10.9% once past 90-120k — 2.8× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 5.1% of the time against 6.2% for hybrid.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 16.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.3% of tests failed in 2023 against 5.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.9% | 1,744 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 1,062 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.5% | 923 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.9% | 514 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 195 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 154 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 1,118 |
| 2 | Washers | 735 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 535 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 432 |
| 5 | Wipers | 296 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 123 |
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 | 16.5% | 10,024 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.3% | 4,435 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.1% | 3,669 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.1% | 695 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.5% | 311 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 255 |
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 | 40,350 | 3.9% |
| 30-60k | 18,588 | 7.3% |
| 60-90k | 1,507 | 12.1% |
| 90-120k | 137 | 10.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 59,823 | 5.1% |
| Hybrid | 763 | 6.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,596 | 3.3% |
| 2024 | 29,470 | 5.1% |
| 2025 | 29,513 | 5.2% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Puma
On a 2021 Puma, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 2.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (2.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.5% 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 Pumas pass their MOT?
94.9% of the 60,592 2021 Ford Puma MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Puma?
Tyres, recorded in 2.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.8%).
Does the 2021 Puma get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.9% in the 0-30k band to 10.9% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 60,592 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.