2021 Ford Kuga St-Line X Ed Mhev — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,395 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line X Ed Mhev, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, visibility and emissions & environmental. Its pass rate of 92.5% was above the average for cars of a similar age (91.4%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.5% | 49 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.0% | 28 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 24 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 19 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 12 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.8% | 11 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 23 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 21 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 21 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 17 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 11 |
| 6 | Wipers | 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 | 18.9% | 263 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.6% | 176 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.1% | 99 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.3% | 74 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.7% | 24 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 7 |
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 | 677 | 4.7% |
| 30-60k | 671 | 10.1% |
| 60-90k | 42 | 9.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 105 | 8.6% |
| 2024 | 638 | 5.3% |
| 2025 | 652 | 9.5% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Kuga St-Line X Ed Mhev
Before buying a 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line X 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.
- Visibility (2.0% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (1.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 X Ed Mhevs pass their MOT?
92.5% of the 1,395 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line X Ed Mhev MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Ford Kuga St-Line X Ed Mhev?
Tyres, recorded in 3.5% of tests, followed by visibility (2.0%).
Does the 2021 Kuga St-Line X Ed Mhev get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.7% in the 0-30k band to 9.5% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,395 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.