2003 Ford Transit Connect MOT pass rate: 56.9% (7,427 tests)
Is the 2003 Transit Connect getting worse?
Pass rate of 2003-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 56.4% -8.1 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 57.0% -7.8 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 57.6% -8.5 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 2003 Transit Connect
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 3,792 | 23.4% |
| 2 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 3,724 | 23.0% |
| 3 | Brakes | 2,955 | 18.2% |
| 4 | Body, chassis, structure | 2,407 | 14.9% |
| 5 | Tyres | 882 | 5.4% |
| 6 | Visibility | 805 | 5.0% |
All Transit Connect years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 (this page) | 7,427 | 56.9% | -8.1 pts | 141,426 |
| 2004 | 10,657 | 56.9% | -7.4 pts | 139,918 |
| 2005 | 14,659 | 55.9% | -8.6 pts | 139,747 |
| 2006 | 20,917 | 56.2% | -8.2 pts | 138,670 |
| 2007 | 23,877 | 56.9% | -8.2 pts | 142,376 |
| 2008 | 21,405 | 57.2% | -7.9 pts | 138,158 |
| 2009 | 14,599 | 58.0% | -8.4 pts | 125,559 |
| 2010 | 14,703 | 57.2% | -10.2 pts | 130,786 |
| 2011 | 16,876 | 61.3% | -7.9 pts | 125,495 |
| 2012 | 16,743 | 63.2% | -8.0 pts | 114,484 |
| 2013 | 12,715 | 67.0% | -6.4 pts | 109,551 |
| 2014 | 31,003 | 74.1% | -1.8 pts | 115,793 |
| 2015 | 38,674 | 76.9% | -1.9 pts | 105,956 |
| 2016 | 41,233 | 79.2% | -2.1 pts | 98,860 |
| 2017 | 53,854 | 81.8% | -2.2 pts | 87,020 |
| 2018 | 49,062 | 81.8% | -4.6 pts | 75,684 |
| 2019 | 44,107 | 80.5% | -7.9 pts | 62,678 |
| 2020 | 32,789 | 81.9% | -8.0 pts | 51,160 |
| 2021 | 21,442 | 84.4% | -6.1 pts | 48,960 |
| 2022 | 2,578 | 85.5% | -5.7 pts | 41,158 |
Weighing up which year to buy? See the full ranking: Ford Transit Connect years to avoid.
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FAQs
Is a 2003 Ford Transit Connect reliable?
2003-registered examples passed 56.9% of their MOT tests (7,427 tests, 2023–2025), -8.1 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 23 years old with a median 141,426 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2003 Transit Connect?
The median tested example shows 141,426 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.