156,255 tests in 2025
Ford Ka reliability and MOT pass rate
72% passed first time. The 28% fail rate is 5.4 points worse than the all-car average, on a median example 12 years old with 55,614 miles.
Pass rate
72%
22.6% of all cars failed; 28% of these did.
Fixed on the day
5.8%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
55,614 mi
12 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 8 | — |
| 6-9 years | 38,823 | 15.1% |
| 10-13 years | 60,397 | 27.3% |
| 14+ years | 57,027 | 37.5% |
What the Ka fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Suspension1,363 dangerous54.5%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment175 dangerous28.5%
- Brakes5,169 dangerous26.9%
- Tyres9,964 dangerous21%
- Body, chassis, structure323 dangerous15.1%
- Visibility13 dangerous13.3%
- Noise, emissions and leaks37 dangerous12%
- Steering98 dangerous5.9%
Is the Ka getting worse?
The fail rate rose 2.6 points to 28% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.9 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 200,711 | 10 | 25.4% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 190,188 | 11 | 25.9% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 153,066 | 11 | 27.7% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 156,248 | 12 | 28% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical Ka at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a Ka in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn5,341 tests
- 2Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak5,111 tests
- 3Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn4,807 tests
- 4Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush3,731 tests
- 5Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3,523 tests
- 6Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements3,440 tests
- 7Stop lamp: not working3,409 tests
- 8Position lamp: not working3,190 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical Ka collects 3.05 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm25,770 tests
- 2Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn20,400 tests
- 3Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure18,466 tests
- 4Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened16,622 tests
- 5Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases13,855 tests
- 6Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak13,291 tests
- 7Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened10,157 tests
- 8Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine9,856 tests
Questions
What is the Ford Ka MOT pass rate?
72% of the 156,255 Ford Ka first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 28% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 5.8% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a Ford Ka usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn", recorded on 5,341 failed tests, followed by "Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak" and "Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn". By section, suspension appears in 54.5% of failures, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment appears in 28.5% of failures, brakes appears in 26.9% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 0%; at 14+ years it was 37.5%. The median Ford Ka tested in 2025 was 12 years old with 55,614 miles.
Is the Ford Ka getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 2.6 points to 28% from 2022 to 2025 while the median one tested aged 2 years. Ageing alone would predict about 4.9 points, so it is holding up better than the fleet average for its age.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every Ka trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 5 safety recalls naming the Ford Ka: Ford Ka recalls.
Other Ford models
- Fiesta 27.3%
- Focus 25.4%
- Kuga 16.3%
- Transit 30.8%
- Transit Custom 16.1%
- Mondeo 27%
- Transit Connect 26.5%
- Ranger 22.6%
- Ecosport 16.4%
- C-Max 25.9%
Checking a particular Ka?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.