Ford Focus (2019)

53,599 real MOT outcomes analysed • 87.6% first-time pass rate

2019 Ford Focus

CarHunch analysed 53,599 real MOT records for the 2019 Ford Focus. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

The 2019 Ford Focus is more reliable than average, with an 87.6% first-time MOT pass rate well above the UK average of 80%—and petrol models perform slightly better at 88.2% compared to diesel at 85.6%. However, one in five of these cars have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is a genuine concern for buyers and warrants a pre-purchase inspection.

At 31,546 miles median, these five-year-old cars have covered typical mileage for their age, and the average of 0.63 failures per vehicle suggests most don't develop major issues. The 4.4 advisories per car point to routine wear on components like brakes and suspension—manageable costs—so focus your pre-purchase check on whether any dangerous defects were previously logged and properly resolved.

Average reliability 7.6% above UK average
87.6%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
31,546
typical mileage
22,986–41,544 middle half
21.5%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
0.63
avg MOT failures per car
over 4.7 tests on record

Petrol vs Diesel

Pass rate difference of 2.6 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.

88.2%
Petrol
40,493 vehicles
85.6%
Diesel
13,103 vehicles

What to check before buying a 2019 Ford Focus

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
  • 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
  • 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
  • ⚠️ 21.5% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
  • 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a Ford Focus

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

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Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Petrol (76%) 40,493 88.2% 0.61
Diesel (24%) 13,103 85.6% 0.67
Other (0%) 1 100% 0
Other (0%) 1 100% 0
Hybrid Electric (Clean) (0%) 1 75% 1

Mileage Distribution

Most 2019 Ford Focus vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

22,986
low mileage
31,546
typical
41,544
high mileage

Half of all 2019 Ford Focus vehicles fall between 22,986 and 41,544 miles.

2019 Ford Focus — Still on the Road

Strong survival — 50,808 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 99% of the peak.

51,354 50,808 2022 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2022–2025.

MOT History Averages

4.7
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
0.63
Avg failures per vehicle
4.4
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 2019 Ford Focus

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

  • 28.6%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 27.6%
    Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin
  • 27.4%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 16.9%
    Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin
  • 15.5%
    Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 14.5%
    Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened
  • 13%
    Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
  • 10%
    Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2019. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Ford Focus?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

UK

Other model years — Ford Focus:

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2020 2021 2022 2023