Car
Ford Fiesta
78.4%
pass rate across 5,140,104 tests
73.2% first-time pass rate
Ford Fiesta vs Volkswagen Polo
The two cars compared on 7,420,068 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
Volkswagen Polo
78.3%
pass rate across 2,279,964 tests
73.0% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Too close to call on MOT evidence
The two are level on first-time passes: 73.2% for the Ford Fiesta and 73.0% for the Volkswagen Polo. A typical repair bill is similar: £25–£65 for the Ford Fiesta and £32–£89 for the Volkswagen Polo; at their pass rates that is roughly £540–£1,395 versus £689–£1,932 per 100 tests.
- First-time pass: 73.2% vs 73.0%.
- All MOTs: 78.4% vs 78.3%.
- Like-for-like: −1.3 vs −1.8 points.
- Typical repair bill: £25–£65 vs £32–£89.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 71.0% vs 70.2%.
| Measure | Fiesta | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 5,140,104 | 2,279,964 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 78.4% stronger figure | 78.3% |
| First-time pass rate | 73.2% stronger figure | 73.0% |
| Against the UK average | −2.6 pts stronger figure | −2.7 pts |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | −1.3 pts stronger figure | −1.8 pts |
| Average mileage at test | 68,288 mi | 69,715 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2023 (24) | 2000–2023 (24) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 94.6% | 2023 · 94.9% |
| Worst model year | 2000 · 68.3% | 2005 · 68.3% |
| Typical repair bill | £25–£65 stronger figure | £32–£89 |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £540–£1,395 stronger figure | £689–£1,932 |
| Main fuel | Petrol 86% | Petrol 92% |
| Variants recorded | 10 | 5 |
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
Polo
- Exhaust system leaking 6.1% £45–£120
- Track rod end dust cover damaged 3.1% £18–£45
- Service brake imbalance across an axle 1.5% £45–£110
- Linkage ball joint dust cover insecure 1.5% £18–£45
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 | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 80.6% · 413,733 tests | 82.9% · 179,713 tests |
| 2017 | 84.9% · 310,133 tests | 84.3% · 156,704 tests |
| 2018 | 89.4% · 303,753 tests | 83.3% · 151,895 tests |
| 2019 | 90.5% · 251,120 tests | 88.0% · 120,567 tests |
| 2020 | 91.0% · 159,066 tests | 92.1% · 79,229 tests |
| 2021 | 93.4% · 59,226 tests | 92.5% · 59,188 tests |
| 2022 | 93.9% · 25,363 tests | 94.0% · 22,339 tests |
| 2023 | 94.6% · 1,230 tests | 94.9% · 808 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 | Polo |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 92.1% · 660,691 tests | 91.0% · 331,793 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 83.5% · 1,516,046 tests | 82.8% · 697,945 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 75.4% · 1,479,595 tests | 75.3% · 642,037 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 71.0% · 941,575 tests | 70.2% · 397,278 tests |
| 120k+ | 68.9% · 529,904 tests | 67.5% · 209,648 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.
Volkswagen Polo
- Exhaust system leaking — 6.1% of tests, £45–£120 to put right.
- Track rod end dust cover damaged — 3.1% of tests, £18–£45 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2005 at 68.3%; 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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