Ford
2,533 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblues pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 7.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
85.1%
Pass-after-fix
3.9%
Fail
10.5%
Avg miles
44,821
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Diesel cars registered from September 2015 generally meet Euro 6 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 2,533 tests
Pass rate climbs 3.4 points across the cohorts — newer Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblue examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
83.5%
Fail
11.4%
PRS
4.6%
Avg mileage at test
50,669 mi
Pass
86.8%
Fail
9.5%
PRS
3.2%
Avg mileage at test
38,337 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 741 MOT tests, the Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblue returns 86.0% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A split CV-joint boot and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 40,953, 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 →
18–32
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Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
115 occurrences · 4.5% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
55 occurrences · 2.2% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
51 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
48 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
Wiper blade defective
42 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
37 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
30 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
25 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
18 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
16 occurrences · 0.6% 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 3 failures
£100–£185
If every one of this Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblue'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
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 3.4-point gap between bands means the year you buy Ford Transit Custom 290 Sport Eblue has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
86.8%
2021+ registration
the 2021-on band climbs to 86.8% — a 3.4-point improvement. Tests in this band average 38,337 miles — roughly 12K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm — 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
83.5%
2018–2020 registration
On the 2018–2020 band, the data shows a 83.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 86.8% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, constant velocity boot severely deteriorated, and does not clear the windscreen effectively. Average mileage on test for this band is 50,669 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2021+ (86.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2018-2020 (83.5% pass). That's a 3.4-point spread across 1,332 older tests and 1,201 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.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
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
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
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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.
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
More refined and better to drive than most rivals. Punchy and efficient diesel engines. New interior technology from 2024.
Where it falls short
Other vans offer more overall load volume. Some rivals are fresher. Range-topping trim/engine combo expensive.
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 Custom 290 Sport Eblue 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.
