2020 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhev — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,702 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhev, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 91.8% was above the average for cars of a similar age (90.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 18.1% in the 60-90k group versus 5.8% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.1% | 238 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.5% | 70 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 64 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.2% | 57 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 41 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.3% | 16 |
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 | 187 |
| 2 | Washers | 58 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 50 |
| 4 | Brake discs | 29 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 24 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 23 |
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 | 24.5% | 1,150 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.8% | 791 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.6% | 262 |
| 4 | Steering | 1.6% | 75 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.0% | 46 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.9% | 43 |
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 | 2,616 | 5.8% |
| 30-60k | 1,929 | 10.6% |
| 60-90k | 149 | 18.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,672 | 8.2% |
| Hybrid | 30 | 3.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,523 | 6.6% |
| 2024 | 1,567 | 8.3% |
| 2025 | 1,606 | 9.5% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Focus St-Line X Mhev
Before buying a 2020 Ford Focus St-Line X 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.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.4% 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-Line X Mhevs pass their MOT?
91.8% of the 4,702 2020 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhev MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Ford Focus St-Line X Mhev?
Tyres, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by visibility (1.5%).
Does the 2020 Focus St-Line X Mhev get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.8% in the 0-30k band to 18.1% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,702 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.