1981 Ford Fiesta — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age

45 years

Current Age

97.0%

Latest Pass Rate

2,469

Total Tests (All Years)

48,660 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Best vintage for Fiesta

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1981 Ford Fiesta as it ages.

28 yrs55.0%

→ ↑0.3%

29 yrs55.3%

→ ↑4.7%

30 yrs60.0%

→ ↑2.3%

31 yrs62.3%

→ ↓1.5%

32 yrs60.8%

→ ↑7.3%

33 yrs68.1%

→ ↑3.3%

34 yrs71.4%

→ ↓0.1%

35 yrs71.3%

→ ↑3.2%

36 yrs74.5%

→ ↓0.4%

37 yrs74.1%

→ ↑3.1%

38 yrs77.2%

→ ↓1.3%

39 yrs75.9%

→ ↓1.7%

40 yrs74.2%

→ ↑6.8%

41 yrs81.0%

→ ↑9.0%

42 yrs90.0%

→ ↑7.0%

43 yrs97.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
28 yrs	55.0%	271
29 yrs	55.3%	246
30 yrs	60.0%	230
31 yrs	62.3%	212
32 yrs	60.8%	199
33 yrs	68.1%	185
34 yrs	71.4%	182
35 yrs	71.3%	167
36 yrs	74.5%	161
37 yrs	74.1%	112
38 yrs	77.2%	114
39 yrs	75.9%	87
40 yrs	74.2%	124
41 yrs	81.0%	63
42 yrs	90.0%	50
43 yrs	97.0%	66

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1981 Ford Fiesta pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (43 yrs)	97%	66
2023 (42 yrs)	90%	50
2022 (41 yrs)	81%	63
2021 (40 yrs)	74.2%	124
2020 (39 yrs)	75.9%	87
2019 (38 yrs)	77.2%	114
2018 (37 yrs)	74.1%	112
2017 (36 yrs)	74.5%	161
2016 (35 yrs)	71.3%	167
2015 (34 yrs)	71.4%	182
2014 (33 yrs)	68.1%	185
2013 (32 yrs)	60.8%	199
2012 (31 yrs)	62.3%	212
2011 (30 yrs)	60%	230
2010 (29 yrs)	55.3%	246
2009 (28 yrs)	55%	271

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

55.0%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 271Avg Mileage 54,754Top Failure Brakes — 26.2%

2010High Fail Rate

55.3%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 246Avg Mileage 52,600Top Failure Brakes — 26.8%

2011High Fail Rate

60.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 230Avg Mileage 51,904Top Failure Suspension — 24.8%

2012High Fail Rate

62.3%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 212Avg Mileage 55,958Top Failure Suspension — 27.8%

2013High Fail Rate

60.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 199Avg Mileage 52,465Top Failure Brakes — 58.8%

2014

68.1%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 185Avg Mileage 49,799Top Failure Suspension — 55.1%

2015

71.4%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 182Avg Mileage 48,014Top Failure Suspension — 40.7%

2016

71.3%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 167Avg Mileage 49,605Top Failure Brakes — 44.9%

2017

74.5%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 161Avg Mileage 54,611Top Failure Brakes — 46.6%

2018

74.1%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 112Avg Mileage 50,677Top Failure Brakes — 38.4%

2019

77.2%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 114Avg Mileage 50,587Top Failure Suspension — 28.1%

2020

75.9%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 87Avg Mileage 49,943Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%

2021

74.2%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 124Avg Mileage 49,097Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.4%

2022

81.0%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 63Avg Mileage 57,762Top Failure Brakes — 27.0%

2023

90.0%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 50Avg Mileage 49,332Top Failure Suspension — 10.0%

2024

97.0%

Age (yrs) 43Tests 66Avg Mileage 48,660Top Failure Brakes — 6.1%

MOT results for 1981 Ford Fiesta by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	28	55.0%	271	54,754	Brakes — 26.2%
2010	29	55.3%	246	52,600	Brakes — 26.8%
2011	30	60.0%	230	51,904	Suspension — 24.8%
2012	31	62.3%	212	55,958	Suspension — 27.8%
2013	32	60.8%	199	52,465	Brakes — 58.8%
2014	33	68.1%	185	49,799	Suspension — 55.1%
2015	34	71.4%	182	48,014	Suspension — 40.7%
2016	35	71.3%	167	49,605	Brakes — 44.9%
2017	36	74.5%	161	54,611	Brakes — 46.6%
2018	37	74.1%	112	50,677	Brakes — 38.4%
2019	38	77.2%	114	50,587	Suspension — 28.1%
2020	39	75.9%	87	49,943	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 35.6%
2021	40	74.2%	124	49,097	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.4%
2022	41	81.0%	63	57,762	Brakes — 27.0%
2023	42	90.0%	50	49,332	Suspension — 10.0%
2024	43	97.0%	66	48,660	Brakes — 6.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1981 Ford Fiesta, with age trends.

Suspension

30.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

29.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

26.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

16.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

13.1%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	26.2% (28 yrs)	6.1% (43 yrs)	-20.1%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Ford Fiesta page →

About This Data

This page shows how Ford Fiesta cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,469 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.