Car · postcode area
West Midlands · ranked 16 of 118 on like-for-like
82.8%
Focus pass rate across 115,110 tests
84.7% all-car area pass rate
49,616 Focus cars tested here
Ford Focus in Birmingham (B) vs Southampton (SO)
The same model, tested in two postcode areas. This compares the Focus's own MOT record with the all-car record in each area, so a strong local average is not mistaken for a strong model.
Car · postcode area
Southampton
SOSouth East · ranked 53 of 118 on like-for-like
78.5%
Focus pass rate across 42,052 tests
80.6% all-car area pass rate
16,151 Focus cars tested here
The short answer
The Focus is ahead in Birmingham
In Birmingham (B), 115,110 Focus tests pass 82.8%; in Southampton (SO), 42,052 pass 78.5% — a gap of 4.3 points. The all-car pass rate is 84.7% in B and 80.6% in SO. Against that local average, the Focus is −1.9 points in B and −2.1 points in SO. Nationally the Focus passes 79.7%, so the B figure is +3.1 points against the model's own record and SO −1.2 points. Birmingham ranks 16 of 118 areas on like-for-like performance (−0.2 points against what its age and mileage mix predicts); Southampton ranks 53 of 118 (−0.5 points). The Focus accounts for 3.50% of all tests in B and 3.10% in SO. These are tests carried out in each postcode area, not cars kept there. A car tested in both areas appears in both counts.
- Pass rate: 82.8% vs 78.5%
- Cars tested: 49,616 vs 16,151
- Tests: 115,110 vs 42,052
- Area average: 84.7% vs 80.6%
- Model vs area: −1.9 vs −2.1 pts
- Area rank: 16/118 vs 53/118
| Measure | B | SO |
|---|---|---|
| Focus pass rate | 82.8% stronger figure | 78.5% |
| Focus cars tested | 49,616 | 16,151 |
| Focus MOT tests | 115,110 | 42,052 |
| Focus's share of area tests | 3.50% | 3.10% |
| Area pass rate, all cars | 84.7% | 80.6% |
| Focus against the area average | −1.9 pts stronger figure | −2.1 pts |
| Area rank, like-for-like | 16 of 118 | 53 of 118 |
| Area against what its car mix predicts | −0.2 pts | −0.5 pts |
| All cars tested in the area | 1,505,286 | 562,004 |
| All MOT tests in the area | 3,318,297 | 1,365,470 |
| MOT test stations | 612 | 260 |
| Typical repair spend per 100 tests, all cars | £490–£1,331 | £640–£1,746 |
A ✓ marks the stronger model-specific figure. Area rates, ranks and spend are context, not a score: the area average covers every car tested there, not this model.
What this comparison can and cannot tell you
- It is a test-location figure. The DVSA postcode area is where the MOT was carried out, not where the keeper lives. A car tested in both areas appears in both counts.
- The area average is every car, not this model. A high area rate can come from a newer car mix or more main-dealer testing; the like-for-like row adjusts for the age and mileage mix of the cars actually tested.
- Below 30 tests the rate is withheld. The counts are still shown, because a count of three cars is a real answer even when a percentage would be noise.
- Repair spend is an all-car estimate. It is not a quote for a Ford Focus and not a prediction for a specific car.
Read the full area pages
Compare another model in these two areas? Use the area comparison tool →
Compare a different car in these areas? Use the area comparison tool →
Or put the Focus against another model: Compare the Ford Focus side by side →