At a glance
How 3,392 first tests went in 2025.
- Passed first time
- 49 in every 100
- Did not pass first time
- 51 in every 1001,742 failed first-attempt tests
- The typical car
- 17 yearsabout 51,770 miles
- First tests counted
- 3,392
What failed most often
- Suspension mounting area (rear)28 in every 100 failed tests
- Suspension arm pins and bushes (front)12 in every 100 failed tests
- Coil spring (front)9 in every 100 failed tests
How we count this. Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Only Class 4 cars on their first MOT of the year are counted. A car that fails and is fixed at the test station still counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate. These are raw results, not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix. The MOT does not test engine or gearbox internals.
These are patterns across 2008 Ford Ka vehicles in 2025, not a prediction that any one car will have them. Faults are grouped by part of the car. They come from MOT defect codes, not manufacturer bulletins, recalls or a diagnosis of any one car.
Suspension
Four faults. The strongest is the suspension mounting area (front): 25 times as often as on similar cars.
Figures below are measured across the 1,739 of 1,742 failed first attempts (99.8%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025. Mileage is needed to compare like with like.
We only list faults with at least 20 failures and a rate of about 2.0 times that of similar cars, which keeps one-off results out of the list.
Suspension mounting area (front)
What it means
The load bearing structure within a set distance of a sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting is a prescribed area. Major applies when its strength or continuity is significantly reduced or it is inadequately repaired. Dangerous applies when it is so weakened that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected.
Also noted as an advisory
Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 115 first tests, 20 times as often as on similar cars.
Suspension sub-frame mounting area (front)
What it means
Structure around a sub-frame mounting that is so weakened that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected is graded Dangerous, whether it is damaged, fractured, corroded or inadequately repaired. It is Major when strength is significantly reduced by excessive corrosion, damage or a fracture, or when it is inadequately repaired.
Also noted as an advisory
Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 87 first tests, 10 times as often as on similar cars.
Suspension sub-frame mounting area (rear)
What it means
Structure around a sub-frame mounting that is so weakened that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected is graded Dangerous, whether it is damaged, fractured, corroded or inadequately repaired. It is Major when strength is significantly reduced by excessive corrosion, damage or a fracture, or when it is inadequately repaired.
Suspension mounting area (rear)
What it means
The load bearing structure within a set distance of a sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting is a prescribed area. Major applies when its strength or continuity is significantly reduced or it is inadequately repaired. Dangerous applies when it is so weakened that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected.
Also noted as an advisory
Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 130 first tests, 4.1 times as often as on similar cars.
Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.
Seat belts and restraints
Two faults. The strongest is the seat belt mounting area (front): 23 times as often as on similar cars.
Seat belt mounting area (front)
What it means
A seat belt anchorage likely to become detached in the event of a collision is graded Dangerous. The load bearing structure near an anchorage, called a prescribed area, is Major when its strength or continuity is significantly reduced or it is inadequately repaired. Anchorage points are inspected for all seat belts fitted, except a belt with no corresponding seat.
Also noted as an advisory
Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 30 first tests, 17 times as often as on similar cars.
Seat belt mounting area (rear)
What it means
A seat belt anchorage likely to become detached in the event of a collision is graded Dangerous. The load bearing structure near an anchorage, called a prescribed area, is Major when its strength or continuity is significantly reduced or it is inadequately repaired. Anchorage points are inspected for all seat belts fitted, except a belt with no corresponding seat.
Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.
Body and structure
Four faults. The strongest is the chassis condition (front): 19 times as often as on similar cars.
Chassis condition (front)
What it means
A main load-bearing structural member that is fractured, deformed, modified or inadequately repaired is Major when structural rigidity is significantly reduced, and Dangerous where steering or braking is likely to be adversely affected. Corrosion of the body, cab or chassis at a mounting point is Dangerous where overall security or stability is impaired.
Also noted as an advisory
Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 69 first tests, 17 times as often as on similar cars.
Vehicle structure condition (front)
What it means
Structure that is fractured, deformed, corroded, modified or inadequately repaired is failed on rigidity only if the overall structural rigidity of the vehicle is significantly reduced. Structure that is likely to affect steering or braking adversely is graded Dangerous. Prescribed areas are not covered here, as they are checked under other sections, including brakes and steering.
Also noted as an advisory
Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 47 first tests, 12 times as often as on similar cars.
Chassis condition (rear)
What it means
A main load-bearing structural member that is fractured, deformed, modified or inadequately repaired is Major when structural rigidity is significantly reduced, and Dangerous where steering or braking is likely to be adversely affected. Corrosion of the body, cab or chassis at a mounting point is Dangerous where overall security or stability is impaired.
Also noted as an advisory
Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 46 first tests, 4.0 times as often as on similar cars.
Vehicle structure condition (rear)
What it means
Structure that is fractured, deformed, corroded, modified or inadequately repaired is failed on rigidity only if the overall structural rigidity of the vehicle is significantly reduced. Structure that is likely to affect steering or braking adversely is graded Dangerous. Prescribed areas are not covered here, as they are checked under other sections, including brakes and steering.
Also noted as an advisory
Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 37 first tests, 4.3 times as often as on similar cars.
Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.
Advisories
Other things testers noted as worn or close to failing, more often than on similar cars.
An advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not failed yet. It is an early warning, not a fail. Advisories for the faults above are shown with those faults.
Suspension sub-frame pins and bushes (rear)
Power steering pipes and hoses
Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Counts cover advisories recorded on failed first tests only, compared with cars of the same age and mileage.
MOT pass rates
How first tests ended, and how the pass rates are counted.
- Passed first time
- 49in every 100
- Passed on the first test.
- Fixed at the station
- 7in every 100
- Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
- Failed
- 44in every 100
- Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.
First-attempt pass 48.6% of 3,392 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 55.6%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 7 fixed and the 44 not fixed make the 51 in every 100 that did not pass first time.
Same model, other years
Passed first time in every 100, all tested in 2025.
Newer cars are younger, so look for a jump rather than the climb. A year earlier (2024), when these cars were a year younger, 48 in every 100 passed first time.
| Year | Passed first time | First tests |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 52 in every 100 | 306 |
| 2002 | 49 in every 100 | 607 |
| 2003 | 49 in every 100 | 1,035 |
| 2004 | 49 in every 100 | 1,369 |
| 2005 | 52 in every 100 | 1,643 |
| 2006 | 49 in every 100 | 1,983 |
| 2007 | 49 in every 100 | 2,698 |
| 2008 This car | 49 in every 100 | 3,392 |
| 2009 | 55 in every 100 | 14,844 |
| 2010 | 56 in every 100 | 16,047 |
| 2011 | 61 in every 100 | 14,315 |
| 2012 | 64 in every 100 | 15,488 |
| 2013 | 66 in every 100 | 17,337 |
| 2014 | 69 in every 100 | 17,480 |
| 2015 | 68 in every 100 | 12,575 |
| 2016 | 72 in every 100 | 7,955 |
| 2017 | 81 in every 100 | 12,895 |
| 2018 | 80 in every 100 | 10,615 |
| 2019 | 86 in every 100 | 9,684 |
If you are buying one
What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.
Mileage matters most on a 2008 Ford Ka.
Of 2008 Ford Ka vehicles with under 32,000 miles, 64 in every 100 passed their 2025 MOT first time. With 74,000 miles or more, 39 in every 100 did.
What to check at your mileage
How often each fault turned up on a failed first test, by the car's mileage. Read it as: what is likely to need looking at on a car like the one in front of you.
| Under 32,000 | 45,000–58,000 | 74,000 and over | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension mounting area (rear) | 8.9 | 13.9 | 17.2 |
| Suspension arm pins and bushes (front) | 2.9 | 6.4 | 7.4 |
| Coil spring (front) | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.6 |
| Tyre condition (front) | 3.1 | 4.2 | 5.2 |
| Individual sidelight or tail light (rear) | 0.9 | 5.7 | 7.0 |
Faults per 100 first tests, by the car's mileage at the test.
When a car fails
of failed cars had one item to fix.
of failed cars had three or more items to fix.
of all first tests had a defect the tester marked dangerous (unsafe to drive away).
Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line, for cars of this model year tested in 2025. Each mileage band holds a fifth of the tests. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.
FAQs
Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.
About this data
How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.
These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars, not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.
What we include
UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.
Same-day repairs
PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.
How we compare
We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.
What this does not cover
- MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics; this is not a full reliability score.
- Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
- Age and mileage matching reduces, but does not remove, differences in how cars were used and maintained.
- If the data for a car is too thin to say anything useful, we say so rather than guess.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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