Is the Ford Kuga reliable?

On MOT evidence the Ford Kuga is above average. It passes 75.3% of tests once age and mileage are accounted for, against a national average of 72.3%, which ranks it 106 of 262 models with enough data for a fair comparison. This measures how often the car meets the MOT standard, not how often it breaks down or what a repair costs.

What is the most common MOT failure on a Ford Kuga?

The item recorded most often is "a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm", which appears in 18.2% of failed Ford Kuga tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.

What do testers most often warn about on a Ford Kuga?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 28.5% of all Ford Kuga tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Ford Kuga usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 65,820 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Which Ford Kuga years are the most reliable?

Going by MOT pass rate, Ford Kuga cars first registered 2020–2022 do best at 89.7%, and those registered 2010 and earlier do worst at 59.1%. But that ordering is mostly age, not build year: almost every model passes less often as it wears, so the newest cars top this list whatever they are. A specific year looking strong here means little on its own; the failure items above, and the individual car's own MOT history, tell you far more.

Does a Ford Kuga get harder to pass as it ages?

Yes. At 3 to 5 years old, 89.7% of Ford Kuga tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 59.1%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.

Are most Ford Kuga models petrol or diesel?

Of the Ford Kuga cars tested, 73% are diesel, 19% are petrol, 8% are hybrid. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Ford Kuga MOT pass rate & common failures

From 312,076 recorded MOT tests of the Ford Kuga, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

The Ford Kuga passes 75.3% of MOT tests once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, against a national average of 72.3%. That is above average, ranking it 106 of 262 models with enough data to compare fairly. Based on 312,076 tests. Its most commonly recorded failure is a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, which appears in 18.2% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 65,820 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage

75.3%national average72.3%unadjusted79.4%range covered99%rank106 of 262

The Kuga is 3.0 percentage points above the national pass rate once age and mileage are accounted for, which is above average. The unadjusted figure is 79.4%; the difference is what the age and mileage of this model’s fleet was hiding.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Ford Kuga tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm18.2%
9,235 occurrencesBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements17.5%
8,893 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning14.8%
7,491 occurrencesLamp not working explained
4.A tyre seriously damaged9.7%
4,913 occurrencesTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
5.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen8.2%
4,145 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
6.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.8%
3,973 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
7.A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative7.6%
3,861 occurrencesTyre pressure monitoring system inoperative explained
8.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened7.1%
3,597 occurrencesRoad spring broken or fractured explained
9.Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen5.8%
2,956 occurrencesWiper or washer not working properly explained
10.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn4.5%
2,279 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Ford Kuga tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements28.5%
89,039 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm15.5%
48,334 testsBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
3.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured10.7%
33,390 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
4.A tyre seriously damaged10.6%
33,084 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.0%
21,763 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
6.Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt4.0%
12,483 tests
7.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage3.8%
11,953 testsShock absorber defective explained
8.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded3.5%
10,835 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained

The rest of the record

Everything else recorded on the Ford Kuga

The 21 other defects testers recorded on this model, beyond the most common listed above. Each links to what it means and what it takes to put right.

Known faults

Ford Kuga common problems, by part and by year

The same failure record read the way a buyer asks the question: which parts wear out on a Kuga, when they start, and how each registration year compares — including the steps that mark a generation change.

Kuga common problems and results by year

How wear changes the picture

Kuga pass rate by age and registration year

How often the Ford Kuga passes at each age, with the years those cars were first registered. Tests are from 2025, so a car aged 3 to 5 was first used in 2020–2022.

3–5 yrsreg. 2020–202290%

6–8 yrsreg. 2017–201984%

9–11 yrsreg. 2014–201675%

12–14 yrsreg. 2011–201365%

15+ yrsreg. 2010 and earlier59%

Read this as an age curve rather than a verdict on particular model years. Nearly every car passes less often as it gets older, so a newer Kuga outscoring an older one says more about wear than about how that year’s cars were built. Bands holding too few tests to be meaningful are omitted rather than shown as a rate.

What gets tested

The Kuga fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 65,820
Fuel mix of tested cars: Diesel73.4%
Petrol18.9%
Hybrid7.7%

Trim names grouped into this model (40)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

KUGA BLACK PACKAGE ED HEV CVT
KUGA BLACK PACKAGE ED PHEV CVT
KUGA BLACK PACKAGE EDITION
KUGA GRAPHITE TECH ED PHEV CVT
KUGA ST-LINE
KUGA ST-LINE ECOBLUE
KUGA ST-LINE ECOBLUE 4X4 AUTO
KUGA ST-LINE ECOBLUE AUTO
KUGA ST-LINE ECOBLUE MHEV
KUGA ST-LINE ED EBLUE 4X4 A
KUGA ST-LINE ED EBLUE MHEV
KUGA ST-LINE EDITION
KUGA ST-LINE EDITION ECOBLUE
KUGA ST-LINE EDITION ECOBLUE A
KUGA ST-LINE EDITION HEV CVT
KUGA ST-LINE EDITION PHEV CVT
KUGA ST-LINE FIRST ED E-BLUE
KUGA ST-LINE FIRST ED E-BLUE A
KUGA ST-LINE FIRST ED PHEV CVT
KUGA ST-LINE FIRST EDITION
KUGA ST-LINE HEV CVT
KUGA ST-LINE PHEV CVT
KUGA ST-LINE TDCI
KUGA ST-LINE X
KUGA ST-LINE X ECOBLUE
KUGA ST-LINE X ECOBLUE 4X4 A
KUGA ST-LINE X ECOBLUE AUTO
KUGA ST-LINE X ECOBLUE MHEV
KUGA ST-LINE X ED EBLUE 4X4 A
KUGA ST-LINE X ED EBLUE MHEV
KUGA ST-LINE X ED ECOBLUE A
KUGA ST-LINE X ED PHEV CVT
KUGA ST-LINE X EDITION
KUGA ST-LINE X EDITION ECOBLUE
KUGA ST-LINE X EDITION HEV CVT
KUGA ST-LINE X FIRST EDITION
KUGA ST-LINE X HEV CVT
KUGA ST-LINE X PHEV CVT
KUGA ST-LN FIRST ED EBLUE MHEV
KUGA ST-LN X FIRST ED EBLUE A

Check a specific Ford Kuga

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Ford models

Ford Fiesta — 67.1% adjusted
Ford Focus — 71.6% adjusted
Ford Transit — 68.0% adjusted
Ford Transit Custom — 77.3% unadjusted
Ford Mondeo — 76.0% adjusted
Ford KA — 62.7% adjusted
All Ford models

Similar test volumes

Compare against other makes

Renault Clio — 59.1% adjusted, ranked 256
Volkswagen Transporter — 73.7% adjusted, ranked 125
Kia Sportage — 71.7% adjusted, ranked 153
Nissan Juke — 66.5% adjusted, ranked 210

Common questions

Is the Ford Kuga reliable?: On MOT evidence the Ford Kuga is above average. It passes 75.3% of tests once age and mileage are accounted for, against a national average of 72.3%, which ranks it 106 of 262 models with enough data for a fair comparison. This measures how often the car meets the MOT standard, not how often it breaks down or what a repair costs.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Ford Kuga?: The item recorded most often is "a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm", which appears in 18.2% of failed Ford Kuga tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Ford Kuga?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 28.5% of all Ford Kuga tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Ford Kuga usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 65,820 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Which Ford Kuga years are the most reliable?: Going by MOT pass rate, Ford Kuga cars first registered 2020–2022 do best at 89.7%, and those registered 2010 and earlier do worst at 59.1%. But that ordering is mostly age, not build year: almost every model passes less often as it wears, so the newest cars top this list whatever they are. A specific year looking strong here means little on its own; the failure items above, and the individual car's own MOT history, tell you far more.
Does a Ford Kuga get harder to pass as it ages?: Yes. At 3 to 5 years old, 89.7% of Ford Kuga tests pass. By fifteen years or more, that falls to 59.1%. Nearly every model follows this pattern, which is why comparing raw pass rates between models is misleading unless age is accounted for.
Are most Ford Kuga models petrol or diesel?: Of the Ford Kuga cars tested, 73% are diesel, 19% are petrol, 8% are hybrid. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. The adjusted rate is directly standardised across twenty-five age and mileage bands and reweighted onto the national distribution, so this model is compared against cars that have lived a similar life rather than against a younger or lighter-used fleet.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.