2018 Ford Kuga MOT pass rate: 88.2% (113,655 tests)
Is the 2018 Kuga getting worse?
Pass rate of 2018-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 88.9% +0.8 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 88.1% +1.9 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 87.7% +3.0 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 2018 Kuga
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7,103 | 31.3% |
| 2 | Brakes | 5,591 | 24.6% |
| 3 | Visibility | 4,474 | 19.7% |
| 4 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2,320 | 10.2% |
| 5 | Noise, emissions and leaks | 1,277 | 5.6% |
| 6 | Suspension | 625 | 2.8% |
All Kuga years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 7,482 | 68.9% | +3.7 pts | 125,432 |
| 2009 | 21,628 | 67.8% | +1.4 pts | 120,441 |
| 2010 | 27,374 | 67.8% | +0.4 pts | 114,910 |
| 2011 | 26,206 | 68.7% | -0.5 pts | 106,686 |
| 2012 | 27,570 | 70.6% | -0.6 pts | 98,441 |
| 2013 | 37,545 | 77.6% | +4.3 pts | 89,790 |
| 2014 | 66,944 | 79.0% | +3.1 pts | 80,147 |
| 2015 | 90,836 | 81.6% | +2.9 pts | 71,792 |
| 2016 | 98,574 | 84.8% | +3.4 pts | 62,893 |
| 2017 | 109,135 | 87.3% | +3.3 pts | 53,909 |
| 2018 (this page) | 113,655 | 88.2% | +1.9 pts | 44,222 |
| 2019 | 120,376 | 89.0% | +0.6 pts | 35,274 |
| 2020 | 3,499 | 90.4% | +0.5 pts | 29,148 |
Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Ford Kuga years to avoid.
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FAQs
Is a 2018 Ford Kuga reliable?
2018-registered examples passed 88.2% of their MOT tests (113,655 tests, 2023–2025), +1.9 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 8 years old with a median 44,222 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2018 Kuga?
The median tested example shows 44,222 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.