Ford Focus vs Ford Popular: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Ford Focus
74%
MOT pass rate · 2,068,317 vehicles
Ford Popular
87%
MOT pass rate · 7,417 vehicles
More reliable
Verdict: On MOT pass rate, the Ford Popular is the more reliable of the two — 87% pass first time versus 74%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Head to head
| Measure | Ford Focus | Ford Popular |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 74% | 87% ✓ |
| MOT failure rate | 26% | 13% ✓ |
| Faults & advisories per test | 1.9 | 1.0 ✓ |
| Dangerous-fault share | 2% | 0% ✓ |
| Average mileage | 107,385 mi | 47,202 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 2,068,317 | 7,417 |
Most common faults
Ford Focus
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
Ford Popular
- Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
- Oil leak
- Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)
- Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)
- Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)
- Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate, the Ford Popular is the more reliable of the two — 87% pass first time versus 74%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Full Ford Focus report Full Ford Popular report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.