2021 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,375 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 92.0% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (91.3%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.1% | 223 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 109 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.6% | 71 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.3% | 57 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.4% | 18 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 14 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 132 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 88 |
| 3 | Washers | 54 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 40 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 32 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 17 |
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 | 23.7% | 1,037 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.6% | 815 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.1% | 266 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.4% | 63 |
| 5 | Steering | 0.8% | 35 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.7% | 32 |
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 | 2,486 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,702 | 9.5% |
| 60-90k | 159 | 11.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,339 | 8.0% |
| Hybrid | 36 | 8.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 147 | 4.8% |
| 2024 | 2,112 | 7.5% |
| 2025 | 2,113 | 8.6% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Focus St-Line Mhev
Before buying a 2021 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 5.1% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (5.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.6% 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 2021 Ford Focus St-Line Mhevs pass their MOT?
92.0% of the 4,375 2021 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Focus St-Line Mhev?
Tyres, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.5%).
Does the 2021 Focus St-Line Mhev get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 11.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,375 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.