2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ed Mhev — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,790 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ed Mhev, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling. Its pass rate of 91.6% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (91.3%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 16.3% in the 60-90k group versus 6.7% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.5% | 63 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 42 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.1% | 38 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.9% | 34 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.0% | 18 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 10 |
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 | 45 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 33 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 31 |
| 4 | Washers | 25 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 14 |
| 6 | Wipers | 12 |
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 | 20.6% | 369 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.9% | 339 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.9% | 123 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.7% | 120 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 38 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.3% | 5 |
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 | 927 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 808 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 49 | 16.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 89 | 4.5% |
| 2024 | 849 | 7.7% |
| 2025 | 851 | 9.5% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Kuga St-Line Ed Mhev
Before buying a 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ed Mhev, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 3.5% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (3.5% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (2.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (2.1% 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 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ed Mhevs pass their MOT?
91.6% of the 1,790 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ed Mhev MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line Ed Mhev?
Tyres, recorded in 3.5% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (2.4%).
Does the 2021 Kuga St-Line Ed Mhev get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 16.3% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,790 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.