Ford

Which year Ford Focus is most reliable?

Based on 2,052,979 vehicles (1998–2023) 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 Focus at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 Focus 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
2015–2022
Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other Focuses
Below model average
1998–2004
Lower pass rate than other Focuses — worth checking the MOT history before buying
See common failures for 1998 →
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Dataset
2,052,979
vehicles · 1998–2023 · millions of MOT records
CarHunch sweet spot — 2010–2019
These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 76.5–89.1% 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
2022
94.8%
4,581 Recommended
2021
89.8%
8,573 Recommended
2020
89.2%
30,512 Recommended
2019
87.6%
53,599 Recommended
2018
87.4%
48,944 Recommended
2017
89.1%
66,941 Recommended
2016
86.0%
67,848 Recommended
2015
85.6%
79,904 Recommended
2014
82.2%
81,415
2013
79.6%
83,103
2012
79.6%
79,241
2011
78.0%
77,879
2010
76.5%
74,204
2009
75.9%
89,275
2008
75.4%
97,384
2007
75.0%
114,411
2006
75.2%
115,891
2005
73.9%
120,471
2004
72.4%
107,707 Below avg
2003
72.4%
129,687 Below avg
2002
71.5%
154,747 Below avg
2001
70.9%
141,814 Below avg
2000
69.3%
116,217 Below avg
1999
67.5%
99,729 Below avg
1998
66.8%
8,299 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.

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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