Ford S-Max MOT pass rate: 70.3% (67,170 tests, 2025)

The Ford S-Max passed 70.3% of its 67,170 MOT tests in 2025 — 7.2 points below the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 12 years old with 103,935 miles on the clock.

70.3%Pass rate (2025)

67,170MOT tests analysed

103,935 miMedian mileage at test

12 yrsMedian age at test

How the S-Max compares

Ford S-Max

70.3%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Ford average (all models)

75.3%

What fails most on the Ford S-Max

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the S-Max:

#	System	Defects recorded	Share
1	Suspension	10,886	21.6%
2	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	10,688	21.2%
3	Tyres	9,207	18.3%
4	Brakes	7,310	14.5%
5	Body, chassis, structure	4,565	9.0%
6	Visibility	2,789	5.5%

Pre-MOT checklist for S-Max owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
Look underneath for corrosion around sills and subframes, especially on older cars

Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

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

S-Max pass rate by registration year

Lower age-adjusted outliers to inspect carefully: 2006, 2014, 2019. Strongest age-adjusted years: 2016, 2017. Full ranking and method: Ford S-Max years to avoid.

Registration year	Tests	Pass rate	Vs same-age	Median mileage
2006	4,378	57.4%	-7.0 pts	136,318
2007	13,501	59.9%	-5.2 pts	139,194
2008	13,325	62.6%	-2.6 pts	137,868
2009	17,253	63.4%	-3.0 pts	130,552
2010	25,849	66.2%	-1.2 pts	121,865
2011	18,961	68.2%	-1.0 pts	116,041
2012	20,648	67.2%	-4.0 pts	106,774
2013	18,462	67.7%	-5.6 pts	96,990
2014	19,320	69.8%	-6.1 pts	88,437
2015	9,767	76.7%	-2.0 pts	76,666
2016	20,367	82.0%	+0.6 pts	68,399
2017	15,666	83.2%	-0.8 pts	61,882
2018	7,103	84.4%	-2.0 pts	49,013
2019	6,864	81.8%	-6.6 pts	42,383
2020	3,447	85.4%	-4.5 pts	32,792

Check a specific S-Max before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Ford models

Fiesta71.7% pass rate · 1,279,795 tests Focus74.3% pass rate · 850,793 tests Transit68.9% pass rate · 275,334 tests Kuga81.7% pass rate · 248,991 tests Mondeo73.0% pass rate · 171,083 tests Ka72.1% pass rate · 168,504 tests Transit Connect73.2% pass rate · 157,376 tests Ranger77.4% pass rate · 121,272 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Ford S-Max?

In 2025, 70.3% of 67,170 first MOT tests on the Ford S-Max were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the S-Max fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is suspension (21.6% of its recorded defects), followed by lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment.

Is the Ford S-Max reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 70.3% it performs below the national average at a median age of 12 years and 103,935 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.