Ford
1,432 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Kuga ST LN X First ED Phev Cvts pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 16.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
94.1%
Pass-after-fix
1.5%
Fail
4.1%
Avg miles
30,512
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 1,432 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.4 points across the cohorts — newer Kuga ST LN X First ED Phev Cvt examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
93.8%
Fail
4.3%
PRS
1.6%
Avg mileage at test
31,510 mi
Pass
96.3%
Fail
2.7%
PRS
1.1%
Avg mileage at test
23,889 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 682 MOT tests, the Kuga St-Ln X First Ed Phev Cvt returns 92.4% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A tyre with the cords showing and wipers that don't clear the screen round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 22,643, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Around the UK fleet average for insurance cost. 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 →
19–29
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Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
25 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
22 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
9 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
7 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
5 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Wiper blade defective
4 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A headlamp cleaning device inoperative in the case of LED or gas discharge systems (HID)
3 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
3 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
1 occurrences · 0.1% 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.
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Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.4-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Ford Kuga ST LN X First ED Phev Cvt makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
96.3%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 96.3% — a 2.4-point improvement. Tests in this band average 23,889 miles — roughly 8K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, has a cut in excess of the… — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. Post-2020 examples are early in their MOT life and generally show the cleanest records.
Band to be cautious about
93.8%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 93.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 96.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, has a cut in excess of the…, and has ply or cords exposed. Average mileage on test for this band is 31,510 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (96.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (93.8% pass). That's a 2.4-point spread across 1,245 older tests and 187 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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.
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Owner reports · Honest John
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
Good looking family SUV comes with a decent amount of standard kit and is keenly priced. The plug-in hybrid powertrain available. More enjoyable to drive than most rivals.
Where it falls short
The interior finish could be a bit nicer. Boot isn't as big as in some rivals. The early infotainment interface looked dated, while its 2024 replacement was trickier to use.
Report of 12V battery drain on Kuga PHEV. Dealer has blamed owner's low mileage, with the car not using the petrol engine enough to recharge the battery. Turn Off Ads Now Faster Web Browsing with No Annoying Ads Total Adblock
Source: honestjohn.co.uk · 1 reports indexed
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 Kuga ST LN X First ED Phev Cvt 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.
