Ford

Which year Ford C Max is most reliable?

Based on 137,076 vehicles (2004–2019) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"
These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 C Max at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 C Max at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."
Years to look for
2017, 2019
Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other C Maxes
Below model average
2004–2010
Lower pass rate than other C Maxes — worth checking the MOT history before buying
See common failures for 2004 →
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Dataset
137,076
vehicles · 2004–2019 · millions of MOT records
CarHunch sweet spot — 2011–2016
These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 80.9–86.8% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year Pass rate Vehicles
2019
87.3%
2,603 Recommended
2018
86.7%
4,839
2017
89.4%
8,127 Recommended
2016
86.8%
10,759
2015
85.4%
11,655
2014
83.5%
13,006
2013
83.2%
14,501
2012
81.9%
11,764
2011
80.9%
11,677
2010
76.7%
7,777 Below avg
2009
75.8%
8,242 Below avg
2008
74.7%
19,740 Below avg
2007
74.2%
10,862 Below avg
2006
74.7%
1,169 Below avg
2005
74.2%
183 Below avg
2004
72.5%
172 Below avg

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

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At high mileage (79k–+), the 2019 models maintain a 76% pass rate — 10 points higher than 2004 models at the same mileage.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

What next?
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