Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2021 Ford Mondeo?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2021 Ford Mondeo?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2021 Ford Mondeo?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2021 Ford Mondeo reliable?

Based on MOT data from 896 vehicles, the 2021 Ford Mondeo has a first-time MOT pass rate of 89.3%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2021 Ford Mondeo?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2021 Ford Mondeo are: Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (30% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (28.8% of vehicles), Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (23% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2021 Ford Mondeo?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Ford Mondeo (2021)

896 real MOT outcomes analysed • 89.3% first-time pass rate

2021 Ford Mondeo

CarHunch analysed 896 real MOT records for the 2021 Ford Mondeo. 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 Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2021 Ford Mondeo passes its MOT first time at 89.3%, comfortably ahead of the UK average of 80%, which marks it as a genuinely reliable proposition in its class. Dangerous defects show up in 14.5% of these cars over their lifetimes—not alarming, but worth a pre-purchase inspection—and there's a small but consistent advantage for the hybrid models (90.8% pass rate) over the diesel variants (88.4%).

At just over 41,000 miles median mileage, these are lightly used cars for their age, and the typical MOT failure or two per vehicle reflects only minor wear rather than systemic issues. When you do see problems, advisories cluster around routine maintenance (averaging 2.0 per car), so budget for planned servicing but don't expect surprise repair bills; check the service history carefully on any used example you're considering.

The 2021 Ford Mondeo passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (89.3% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 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

89.3%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

14.5%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.37

Over 2.6 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

41k

Middle half: 28k–62k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 89.3% 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 2 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 896 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.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 896 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 30%

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Nearside Rear 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 23%

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 8.3%

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread · Nearside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Wipers & washers 4.9%

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively

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 896 Ford Mondeo cars.

Before you buy a 2021 Ford Mondeo

Based on MOT data from 896 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 14.5% 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 →
📄 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 Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Diesel (66%)	588	88.5%	0.4
Hybrid Electric (Clean) (34%)	308	90.8%	0.32

Colour Breakdown

Based on 1,208,758 Ford Mondeo vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 25.2%

304,587

Silver 24.9%

300,839

Black 13.5%

163,755

Red 11.2%

135,920

Green 9.3%

111,926

Grey 8.6%

103,398

White 4.7%

56,780

Purple 1.5%

18,001

Brown 0.7%

8,057

Gold 0.3%

3,723

Maroon 0.1%

1,136

Orange 0.1%

636

Mileage Distribution

Most 2021 Ford Mondeo 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.

41,363

typical

28,191

low mileage

62,156

high mileage

Half of all 2021 Ford Mondeo vehicles fall between 28,191 and 62,156 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 28,191 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.

✓ 28,191–62,156 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2021 Ford Mondeos sit.

⚠ Over 83,910 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2021 Ford Mondeo — Still on the Road

Almost all 2021 Ford Mondeos are still on the road.

Strong survival — 863 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 98% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2023–2025.

MOT History Averages

2.6

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.37

Avg failures per vehicle

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Ford Mondeo: All Mondeo years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

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

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