MOT performance
Ford S-Max petrol: MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 13,772 MOT tests on petrol Ford S-Maxs in 2023–2024 (on average 10.8 years old at test, median 82,986 miles), 67.7% passed first time, against 64.6% of 137,473 diesel Ford S-Max tests. Allowing for age, mileage and fuel, petrol Ford S-Maxs failed 9% less often than comparable cars — 0.91× against 1.03× for the Ford S-Max as a whole.
13,772 MOT tests on 7,095 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 67.7% | ±0.8 pts (95%), n = 13,772 |
| All Ford S-Maxs | 64.9% | n = 151,304 |
| Failures vs similar cars | 0.91× | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00; Ford S-Max overall 1.03× |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 9.7% | n = 13,772 |
| Average age at test | 10.8 years | n = 13,772 |
| Registration years covered | 2001–2021 | DVSA first-use date |
Petrol against the other Ford S-Max fuels
Official DVSA test results by fuel, with 73 Auto's adjusted ratio (failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel).
| Fuel | Tests | Average age | First-time pass | vs similar cars | Dangerous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 137,473 | 10.5 yrs | 64.6% | +4% | 12.4% |
| Petrol | 13,772 | 10.8 yrs | 67.7% | -9% | 9.7% |
Where petrol Ford S-Maxs differ
- Steering: petrol Ford S-Maxs failed 30% less often than the Ford S-Max overall, relative to comparable cars (0.73× vs 1.05×).
- Lights, reflectors and electrical: petrol Ford S-Maxs failed 24% less often than the Ford S-Max overall, relative to comparable cars (0.77× vs 1.01×).
- Suspension: petrol Ford S-Maxs failed 21% less often than the Ford S-Max overall, relative to comparable cars (0.60× vs 0.77×).
- Driver's view of the road: petrol Ford S-Maxs failed 21% less often than the Ford S-Max overall, relative to comparable cars (0.73× vs 0.92×).
| Area | Petrol (vs similar) | All Ford S-Maxs (vs similar) |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 12.1% (-23%) | 14.1% (+1%) |
| Tyres | 8.0% (+9%) | 9.6% (+27%) |
| Suspension | 7.4% (-40%) | 9.5% (-23%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 6.5% (+40%) | 5.9% (+27%) |
| Brakes | 5.7% (-31%) | 7.6% (-13%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.9% (-2%) | 3.5% (-5%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 4.2% (-27%) | 4.7% (-8%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 2.0% (+71%) | 2.0% (+47%) |
| Steering | 1.8% (-26%) | 2.9% (+5%) |
Most common petrol Ford S-Max failure items
1 of these 5 items is not among the Ford S-Max's ten most common failures overall.
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Body, chassis and structure | 3.81% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 3.36% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 3.18% |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 3.01% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.24% |
Pass rate by age, by fuel
| Age at test (years) | petrol pass rate (tests) | diesel pass rate (tests) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 76.3% (1,095) | 80.4% (6,166) |
| 5-6 | 79.8% (1,736) | 80.0% (14,195) |
| 7-8 | 80.1% (1,696) | 75.3% (19,523) |
| 9-10 | 70.4% (885) | 63.6% (23,671) |
| 11-12 | 64.8% (2,865) | 62.3% (25,723) |
| 13-15 | 59.6% (3,530) | 56.1% (35,642) |
| 16+ | 58.5% (1,926) | 50.4% (11,123) |
Ford S-Max by registration year
Registration-year pages cover every fuel of that year.
- 2006 Ford S-Max · 50.0%
- 2007 Ford S-Max · 51.7%
- 2008 Ford S-Max · 54.8%
- 2009 Ford S-Max · 54.7%
- 2010 Ford S-Max · 59.4%
- 2011 Ford S-Max · 63.3%
- 2012 Ford S-Max · 62.8%
- 2013 Ford S-Max · 63.6%
- 2014 Ford S-Max · 64.2%
- 2015 Ford S-Max · 72.9%
- 2016 Ford S-Max · 79.0%
- 2017 Ford S-Max · 80.2%
- 2018 Ford S-Max · 80.6%
- 2019 Ford S-Max · 77.6%
- 2020 Ford S-Max · 81.8%
What this does and doesn't tell you
Fuel is DVSA's recorded fuel type; plug-in and self-charging hybrids are grouped as hybrid. A difference between fuels can come from the engines themselves, or from how the cars are used — diesels typically cover more miles, and the adjusted ratio allows for mileage band but not for every difference in use. For one car, its own MOT history is the better guide: see MOT check.
Check a specific petrol Ford S-Max
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.