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Ford Ecosport (2021)

4,060 real MOT outcomes analysed • 90.5% first-time pass rate

2021 Ford Ecosport

CarHunch analysed 4,060 real MOT records for the 2021 Ford Ecosport. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Mileage Distribution MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2021 Ford EcoSport is a reliable choice by UK standards, with a 90.5% first-time pass rate that comfortably beats the national average of 80%. Dangerous defects are uncommon at 9.5%, so safety concerns are minimal for this cohort.

These cars are running around 19,600 miles at the median—typical for three-year-old vehicles—and when they do fail MOT, it's rarely dramatic: just 0.32 failures per vehicle on average. Before buying used, run a full vehicle history check and request the most recent MOT report to confirm the specific car hasn't accumulated advisories that hint at wear (the fleet averages 1.5 per vehicle).

The 2021 Ford Ecosport passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (90.5% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

⚠️ About 1 in 12 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.
First-time pass
90.5%
UK average ~80%
Better than average
Dangerous (ever)
9.5%
At least once in MOT history
Check this vehicle
Avg failures / car
0.32
Over 2.5 tests on record
Low
Typical mileage
20k
Middle half: 13k–28k
For context
✅ Good baseline reliability. A 90.5% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.
🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 1.5 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.
🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 4,060 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

A solid choice — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 4,060 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 28.4%
Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …
Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.
Brake wear 21%
Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Parking brake efficiency below requirements · …
Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.
Other issues 7.8%
Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt · Items removed from driver's view prior to test
Lighting 4%
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam · Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam
Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2021.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 4,060 Ford Ecosport cars.

UK

Before you buy a 2021 Ford Ecosport

Based on MOT data from 4,060 vehicles — here's what to check.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. 9.5% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
    Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
  • 🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection ClickMechanic →
  • 📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History carVertical Get 20% off via CarHunch

Colour Breakdown

Based on 110,007 Ford Ecosport vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 23.2%
25,513
Grey 19.2%
21,129
White 17.6%
19,325
Black 15.1%
16,603
Silver 11.9%
13,041
Red 8.8%
9,692
Yellow 1.9%
2,124
Orange 1.2%
1,325
Beige 0.8%
855
Green 0.2%
257
Brown 0.1%
127
Bronze 0%
16

Mileage Distribution

Most 2021 Ford Ecosport vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

19,604
typical
12,954
low mileage
28,193
high mileage

Half of all 2021 Ford Ecosport vehicles fall between 12,954 and 28,193 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?
✓ Under 12,954 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.
✓ 12,954–28,193 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2021 Ford Ecosports sit.
⚠ Over 38,060 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

MOT History Averages

2.5
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
0.32
Avg failures per vehicle
1.5
Avg advisories per vehicle
Other model years — Ford Ecosport: All Ecosport years → Which year to buy? →
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022 2023

Or browse all models: Ford →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2021 Ford Ecosport stacks up against a rival.

A solid choice — agree?