2020 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev — MOT failures & pass rate

Across 3,472 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 91.7% was above the average for cars of a similar age (90.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 16.2% in the 60-90k group versus 5.6% in the 0-30k group.

Pass rate

3,472

MOT tests analysed

8.3%

Fail rate

better than

vs cars of similar age

Avg age at test (yrs)

How it compares

Fail rate for this model-year against the segment and national averages for cars of a similar age.

Top failure categories

Most common MOT failure areas — 2020 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev
#	Category	% of tests affected	Tests
1	Tyres	4.5%	155
2	Lighting & signalling	2.7%	93
3	Brakes	2.3%	81
4	Visibility	1.3%	44
5	Suspension	0.5%	17
6	Steering	0.3%	10

Percentage of tests with at least one failure recorded in each category.

Most common specific failures

The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.

Most frequently recorded failure items — 2020 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev
#	Failure item	Times recorded
1	Tread depth	141
2	Headlamp aim	69
3	Brake discs	41
4	Brake pads	38
5	Washers	32
6	Wipers	18

Top advisory categories

Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.

Most common MOT advisories — 2020 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev
#	Category	% of tests with advisory	Tests
1	Tyres	22.6%	783
2	Brakes	21.6%	751
3	Other defects	5.2%	182
4	Steering	1.4%	49
5	Visibility	1.1%	37
6	Lighting & signalling	0.7%	23

Failure rate by mileage

Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.

MOT fail rate by recorded mileage band.

Fail rate by recorded mileage — 2020 Focus St-Line Mhev
Mileage band	Tests	Fail rate
0-30k	1,766	5.6%
30-60k	1,514	10.6%
60-90k	173	16.2%

Failure rate by age

How this model-year's MOT fail rate climbs as the cars get older.

Trend over time

Fail rate by dataset year — 2020 Focus St-Line Mhev
Dataset year	Tests	Fail rate
2023	1,141	7.4%
2024	1,129	6.6%
2025	1,194	10.5%

What to check before buying a 2020 Focus St-Line Mhev

Before buying a 2020 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 4.5% of tests for this year.

Tyres (4.5% 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 (2.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Brakes (2.3% 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 2020 Ford Focus St-Line Mhevs pass their MOT?

91.7% of the 3,472 2020 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.3% fail rate.

What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev?

Tyres, recorded in 4.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.7%).

Does the 2020 Focus St-Line Mhev get worse with mileage?

Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.6% in the 0-30k band to 16.2% in the 60-90k band.

Methodology & source. Based on 3,472 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.