Ford
Focus C Max
28,422 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Focus C Maxs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 14.9 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
62.6%
Pass-after-fix
6.2%
Fail
30.2%
Avg miles
111,177
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
Generations on file · 2
Ford Focus C Max · UK market
1998–2004
–now
Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.
The picture
Ford Focus C Max: challenging MOT record across 25,159 tests
The Ford Focus C Max is a petrol-powered car sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.
MOT data from 25,159 tests puts this car on a 63.5% first-time pass rate, well below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 108,789 miles. The most common fail item is headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective, followed by the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements.
The Focus C Max's pass rate warrants caution in the used market. Factor in likely first-test remedial work on the common failure items and get a pre-purchase inspection that covers the specific items this car trips on most.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 12–20
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
12–20
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
2,399 occurrences · 8.4% of tests
- 02
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
1,970 occurrences · 6.9% of tests
- 03
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
1,589 occurrences · 5.6% of tests
- 04
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,135 occurrences · 4.0% of tests
- 05
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
1,013 occurrences · 3.6% of tests
- 06
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
940 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 07
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
884 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 08
A tyre cords visible or damaged
857 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 09
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
839 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 10
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
817 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 4 failures
£108–£435
If every one of this Focus C Max's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Summit
Summit ADRG-18 Ford Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£8.79
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ADRG-10 Ford Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS
£9.89
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ADRG-47 Ford Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£9.89
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ADRG-85 Ford Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS
£9.89
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Recall history
1 UK recall on record.
The Focus C Max has 1 official UK vehicle recall covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a Focus C Max?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Focus C Max and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.