Performance by cohort

3 year bands · 305,667 tests

Pass rate climbs 13.4 points across the cohorts — newer Transit Connect examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 225,923

Pass

70.0%

Fail

23.2%

PRS

5.9%

Avg mileage at test

120,058 mi

2018–2020 cohort 62,163

Pass

78.2%

Fail

15.2%

PRS

6.1%

Avg mileage at test

67,712 mi

2021+ cohort 17,581

Pass

83.4%

Fail

12.4%

PRS

3.6%

Avg mileage at test

47,080 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

Generations on file · 3

Ford Transit Connect · UK market

Ford Transit Connect 2002-2013 — 2002–2013

Ford Transit Connect 2013-2022 — 2013–2022

Ford Transit Connect 2022-now — 2022–now

Photos: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA / CC BY / public domain.

The picture

Ford Transit Connect: mixed MOT record across 213,677 tests

The Ford Transit Connect is a compact panel van manufactured and marketed by Ford since 2002. Developed by Ford of Europe, the model line replaced sedan-based vans with a dedicated commercial vehicle platform.

MOT data from 213,677 tests puts this van on a 70.7% first-time pass rate, below the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 103,559 miles. The most common fail item is cracked or discoloured windscreen, followed by failed number plate light.

Good dynamics. Spacious and well equipped. Decent to drive. PHEV option.

The Transit Connect'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 van trips on most.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 14–23

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 →

14–23

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

Hide wear items to see the model's real defects.

01

Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

20,014 occurrences · 6.5% of tests
02

A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

18,885 occurrences · 6.2% of tests
03

The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired

9,015 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
04

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated

8,955 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
05

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

8,252 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
06

a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

6,816 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
07

Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen

6,652 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
08

A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc

6,405 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
09

Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective

6,019 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
10

Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

6,017 occurrences · 2.0% 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 2 failures

£68–£130

If every one of this Transit Connect'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 →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 13.4-point gap between bands means the year you buy Ford Transit Connect has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

83.4%

2021+ registration

the 2021-on band climbs to 83.4% — a 13.4-point improvement. Tests in this band average 47,080 miles — roughly 73K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, less than 1.5 mm thick — 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

70.0%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 70.0% pass rate against a fleet average of 83.4% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength. Average mileage on test for this band is 120,058 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2021+ (83.4% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (70.0% pass). That's a 13.4-point spread across 225,923 older tests and 17,581 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

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

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

Item 02 · Amazon UK

Digital tyre-tread depth gauge

Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.

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.

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Recall history

15 UK recalls on record.

The Transit Connect has 15 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.

See all recalls

Buying or keeping a Transit Connect?

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 Transit Connect 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.