Car
Ford Fiesta
78.4%
pass rate across 5,140,104 tests
73.2% first-time pass rate
Ford Fiesta vs Vauxhall Corsa
The two cars compared on 8,453,352 real MOT tests: pass rates, first-time passes, the failures each is known for, repair costs and how both have moved year by year.
Car
Vauxhall Corsa
77.3%
pass rate across 3,313,248 tests
71.4% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Ford Fiesta edges the MOT comparison
Across 8,453,352 tests, the Ford Fiesta has the stronger first-time record: 73.2% against 71.4%, a 1.8-point gap. On all MOTs the Ford Fiesta is ahead at 78.4% versus 77.3%. Even after adjusting for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Ford Fiesta is −1.3 points against its expected rate, the Vauxhall Corsa −2.7. A typical repair bill is similar: £25–£65 for the Ford Fiesta and £21–£56 for the Vauxhall Corsa; at their pass rates that is roughly £540–£1,395 versus £469–£1,270 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the Vauxhall Corsa is Engine oil leaking excessively at 11.0% of tests, up to £700 to fix.
- First-time pass: 73.2% vs 71.4%.
- All MOTs: 78.4% vs 77.3%.
- Like-for-like: −1.3 vs −2.7 points.
- Typical repair bill: £25–£65 vs £21–£56.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 71.0% vs 71.6%.
| Measure | Fiesta | Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 5,140,104 | 3,313,248 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 78.4% stronger figure | 77.3% |
| First-time pass rate | 73.2% stronger figure | 71.4% |
| Against the UK average | −2.6 pts stronger figure | −3.7 pts |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −1.3 pts stronger figure | −2.7 pts |
| Average mileage at test | 68,288 mi | 64,976 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2023 (24) | 2000–2023 (24) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 94.6% | 2023 · 95.6% |
| Worst model year | 2000 · 68.3% | 2003 · 68.4% |
| Typical repair bill | £25–£65 | £21–£56 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £540–£1,395 | £469–£1,270 stronger figure |
| Main fuel | Petrol 86% | Petrol 92% |
| Variants recorded | 10 | 4 |
A ✓ marks the stronger figure in each row. It is a comparison between the two cars, not a judgement against the national average.
What goes wrong most often
The most common priced failures on each model, as a share of all its tests. Repair costs are estimates from UK parts data, not quotes.
Fiesta
- Coil spring corroded 8.4% £25–£65
- Ball joint excessively worn 7.1% £18–£45
- Swivel pin or bush excessively worn 5.5% £40–£150
- Stop lamp not working 4.9% £3–£12
Corsa
- Engine oil leaking excessively 11.0% £200–£700
- Shock absorber leaking 9.0% £30–£75
- Exhaust system leaking 5.8% £45–£120
- Sub-frame corroded 5.3% £180–£450
Year by year
The newest 8 years with published results. A model's headline rate hides a wide spread between its best and worst years.
| Model year | Fiesta | Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 80.6% · 413,733 tests | 80.0% · 269,467 tests |
| 2017 | 84.9% · 310,133 tests | 81.8% · 180,431 tests |
| 2018 | 89.4% · 303,753 tests | 84.5% · 176,877 tests |
| 2019 | 90.5% · 251,120 tests | 87.2% · 155,977 tests |
| 2020 | 91.0% · 159,066 tests | 89.9% · 134,852 tests |
| 2021 | 93.4% · 59,226 tests | 90.1% · 66,466 tests |
| 2022 | 93.9% · 25,363 tests | 91.5% · 26,298 tests |
| 2023 | 94.6% · 1,230 tests | 95.6% · 341 tests |
Does the pass rate hold at higher mileage?
Pass rate by the mileage recorded at test, pooled across every published year. A car that stays strong past 90,000 miles is doing something right.
| Mileage | Fiesta | Corsa |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 92.1% · 660,691 tests | 88.2% · 442,263 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 83.5% · 1,516,046 tests | 80.2% · 1,045,803 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 75.4% · 1,479,595 tests | 74.4% · 1,041,121 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 71.0% · 941,575 tests | 71.6% · 568,901 tests |
| 120k+ | 68.9% · 529,904 tests | 70.6% · 210,517 tests |
What to check before you buy
Ford Fiesta
- Coil spring corroded — 8.4% of tests, £25–£65 to put right.
- Ball joint excessively worn — 7.1% of tests, £18–£45 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2000 at 68.3%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Vauxhall Corsa
- Engine oil leaking excessively — 11.0% of tests, £200–£700 to put right.
- Shock absorber leaking — 9.0% of tests, £30–£75 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2003 at 68.4%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Both columns cover every published year for the model. Pass rates are test-weighted, so a model with more recent tests is not dragged down by its oldest ones. Repair figures are estimates from UK parts data; a garage quote is the only number that matters for a specific car. The same car can be tested in more than one year, so these are test outcomes, not a count of individual vehicles.
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