2020 Ford Focus St Ecoblue — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,809 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Ford Focus St Ecoblue, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 87.1% was below the average for cars of a similar age (90.6%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 16.7% in the 60-90k group versus 9.8% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 9.4% | 170 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.8% | 50 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 32 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.9% | 16 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 11 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 8 |
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 | 46 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 33 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 30 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 10 |
| 5 | Washers | 9 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 8 |
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 | 23.2% | 419 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.9% | 379 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.9% | 89 |
| 4 | Road wheels | 4.2% | 75 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.7% | 31 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.6% | 29 |
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 | 727 | 9.8% |
| 30-60k | 916 | 14.6% |
| 60-90k | 138 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 37 | 13.5% |
| 2023 | 594 | 11.5% |
| 2024 | 576 | 12.8% |
| 2025 | 602 | 14.4% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Focus St Ecoblue
Before buying a 2020 Ford Focus St Ecoblue, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 9.4% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (9.4% 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 (2.8% 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 (1.8% 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 Focus St Ecoblues pass their MOT?
87.1% of the 1,809 2020 Ford Focus St Ecoblue MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Focus St Ecoblue?
Tyres, recorded in 9.4% of tests, followed by brakes (2.8%).
Does the 2020 Focus St Ecoblue get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.8% in the 0-30k band to 16.7% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,809 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.