Car
Ford Focus
79.7%
pass rate across 3,370,105 tests
75.1% first-time pass rate
Ford Focus vs Vauxhall Astra
The two cars compared on 5,723,921 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 Astra
77.8%
pass rate across 2,353,816 tests
72.2% first-time pass rate
The short answer
Ford Focus edges the MOT comparison
Across 5,723,921 tests, the Ford Focus has the stronger first-time record: 75.1% against 72.2%, a 2.9-point gap. On all MOTs the Ford Focus is ahead at 79.7% versus 77.8%. A typical repair bill is similar: £36–£96 for the Ford Focus and £27–£71 for the Vauxhall Astra; at their pass rates that is roughly £724–£1,944 versus £598–£1,573 per 100 tests. The costliest common failure on the Vauxhall Astra is Engine oil leaking excessively at 15.2% of tests, up to £700 to fix.
- First-time pass: 75.1% vs 72.2%.
- All MOTs: 79.7% vs 77.8%.
- Like-for-like: +0.2 vs −0.8 points.
- Typical repair bill: £36–£96 vs £27–£71.
- At 90,000–120,000 miles: 74.8% vs 74.1%.
| Measure | Focus | Astra |
|---|---|---|
| MOT tests on record | 3,370,105 | 2,353,816 |
| Pass rate, all MOTs | 79.7% stronger figure | 77.8% |
| First-time pass rate | 75.1% stronger figure | 72.2% |
| Against the UK average | −1.3 pts stronger figure | −3.2 pts |
| Like-for-like, age and mileage adjusted | +0.2 pts stronger figure | −0.8 pts |
| Average mileage at test | 80,240 mi | 83,701 mi |
| Model years on record | 2000–2023 (24) | 2000–2022 (23) |
| Best model year | 2023 · 94.0% | 2021 · 91.2% |
| Worst model year | 2000 · 69.3% | 2006 · 69.8% |
| Typical repair bill | £36–£96 | £27–£71 stronger figure |
| Expected repair spend per 100 tests | £724–£1,944 | £598–£1,573 stronger figure |
| Main fuel | Petrol 68% | Petrol 70% |
| 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.
Focus
- Sub-frame corroded 5.1% £180–£450
- Suspension arm corroded 3.2% £35–£85
- Indicator incorrect colour 3.1% £3–£12
- Exhaust system insecure 2.6% £45–£120
Astra
- Engine oil leaking excessively 15.2% £200–£700
- Exhaust system leaking 7.8% £45–£120
- Coil spring fractured or broken 4.8% £25–£65
- Swivel pin or bush excessively worn 2.3% £40–£150
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 | Focus | Astra |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 86.6% · 215,622 tests | 84.3% · 191,978 tests |
| 2017 | 88.1% · 211,609 tests | 86.4% · 154,342 tests |
| 2018 | 88.4% · 156,564 tests | 87.5% · 99,774 tests |
| 2019 | 88.0% · 182,815 tests | 89.2% · 68,757 tests |
| 2020 | 90.5% · 123,025 tests | 90.2% · 19,867 tests |
| 2021 | 91.6% · 44,991 tests | 91.2% · 6,431 tests |
| 2022 | 92.8% · 16,612 tests | 90.5% · 771 tests |
| 2023 | 94.0% · 1,084 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 | Focus | Astra |
|---|---|---|
| 0–30,000 mi | 92.4% · 278,335 tests | 91.8% · 110,459 tests |
| 30,000–60,000 mi | 86.6% · 759,835 tests | 84.5% · 475,335 tests |
| 60,000–90,000 mi | 79.7% · 937,519 tests | 78.3% · 709,743 tests |
| 90,000–120,000 mi | 74.8% · 780,115 tests | 74.1% · 597,511 tests |
| 120k+ | 71.6% · 597,795 tests | 71.6% · 455,423 tests |
What to check before you buy
Ford Focus
- Sub-frame corroded — 5.1% of tests, £180–£450 to put right.
- Suspension arm corroded — 3.2% of tests, £35–£85 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2000 at 69.3%; check that generation's MOT history closely.
Vauxhall Astra
- Engine oil leaking excessively — 15.2% of tests, £200–£700 to put right.
- Exhaust system leaking — 7.8% of tests, £45–£120 to put right.
- The weakest year on record is 2006 at 69.8%; 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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