2017 Ford Ka MOT pass rate: 88.3% (39,287 tests)

2017-registered Ford Kas passed 88.3% of 39,287 MOT tests in 2023–2025 — 4.3 points better than all UK cars registered in 2017 (84.0%). This is one of the strongest Ka years in the age-adjusted MOT ranking, although the individual car still matters more.

88.3%Pass rate, 2017 cars

104.3Age-adjusted index (100 = average)

39,287Tests analysed

33,478 miMedian mileage at test

Is the 2017 Ka getting worse?

Pass rate of 2017-registered cars across recent test years:

Test year	Pass rate
2023	90.3% +4.6 vs same-age
2024	88.3% +4.4 vs same-age
2025	86.4% +4.1 vs same-age

The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.

What fails on a 2017 Ka

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Tyres	2,051	25.1%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	1,724	21.1%
3	Brakes	1,309	16.0%
4	Suspension	861	10.5%
5	Visibility	740	9.1%
6	Steering	524	6.4%

All Ka years compared

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2002	2,634	57.3%	-8.4 pts	47,420
2003	4,442	58.6%	-6.4 pts	52,220
2004	5,941	56.7%	-7.6 pts	51,574
2005	7,108	57.8%	-6.7 pts	50,926
2006	8,612	57.0%	-7.4 pts	51,934
2007	11,905	56.6%	-8.5 pts	53,072
2008	15,019	56.3%	-8.9 pts	53,092
2009	50,709	62.8%	-3.6 pts	75,147
2010	53,203	64.1%	-3.3 pts	72,480
2011	46,376	68.7%	-0.4 pts	67,063
2012	49,578	71.7%	+0.5 pts	61,210
2013	54,493	74.1%	+0.7 pts	56,232
2014	54,395	76.9%	+1.1 pts	49,598
2015	38,996	76.1%	-2.6 pts	43,609
2016	24,525	79.2%	-2.1 pts	38,534
2017 (this page)	39,287	88.3%	+4.3 pts	33,478
2018	32,287	87.4%	+1.1 pts	28,834
2019	29,490	92.1%	+3.7 pts	23,076

Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Ford Ka years to avoid.

Buying a 2017 Ka? Two checks first

Free MOT history checkThe exact car’s failures, advisories and mileage trail — sellers can’t edit it
Topdon OBD2 scannersTopdon diagnostic scanners with full-system readouts
XTOOL diagnostic toolsXTOOL code readers for petrol and diesel cars
Autel UK testersAutel professional-grade diagnostic testers

FAQs

Is a 2017 Ford Ka reliable?

2017-registered examples passed 88.3% of their MOT tests (39,287 tests, 2023–2025), +4.3 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 9 years old with a median 33,478 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.

What mileage is too high for a 2017 Ka?

The median tested example shows 33,478 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.