1997 Ford Fiesta — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

51.8%

Latest Pass Rate

309,270

Total Tests (All Years)

56,122 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 Ford Fiesta as it ages.

12 yrs37.2%

→ ↓1.3%

13 yrs35.9%

→ ↓0.9%

14 yrs35.0%

→ ↓0.1%

15 yrs34.9%

→ ↑0.3%

16 yrs35.2%

→ ↑0.7%

17 yrs35.9%

→ ↑3.0%

18 yrs38.9%

→ ↑2.1%

19 yrs41.0%

→ ↑1.8%

20 yrs42.8%

→ ↑2.9%

21 yrs45.7%

→ ↑0.3%

22 yrs46.0%

→ ↑3.8%

23 yrs49.8%

→ ↓0.4%

24 yrs49.4%

→ ↑2.4%

25 yrs51.8%

→ ↑1.8%

26 yrs53.6%

→ ↓1.8%

27 yrs51.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	37.2%	77,642
13 yrs	35.9%	63,494
14 yrs	35.0%	50,826
15 yrs	34.9%	37,421
16 yrs	35.2%	26,619
17 yrs	35.9%	18,084
18 yrs	38.9%	12,198
19 yrs	41.0%	8,116
20 yrs	42.8%	5,317
21 yrs	45.7%	2,434
22 yrs	46.0%	1,864
23 yrs	49.8%	1,322
24 yrs	49.4%	1,184
25 yrs	51.8%	735
26 yrs	53.6%	743
27 yrs	51.8%	1,271

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Ford Fiesta pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	51.8%	1,271
2023 (26 yrs)	53.6%	743
2022 (25 yrs)	51.8%	735
2021 (24 yrs)	49.4%	1,184
2020 (23 yrs)	49.8%	1,322
2019 (22 yrs)	46%	1,864
2018 (21 yrs)	45.7%	2,434
2017 (20 yrs)	42.8%	5,317
2016 (19 yrs)	41%	8,116
2015 (18 yrs)	38.9%	12,198
2014 (17 yrs)	35.9%	18,084
2013 (16 yrs)	35.2%	26,619
2012 (15 yrs)	34.9%	37,421
2011 (14 yrs)	35%	50,826
2010 (13 yrs)	35.9%	63,494
2009 (12 yrs)	37.2%	77,642

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

37.2%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 77,642Avg Mileage 58,659Top Failure Suspension — 42.2%

2010High Fail Rate

35.9%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 63,494Avg Mileage 58,188Top Failure Suspension — 46.6%

2011High Fail Rate

35.0%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 50,826Avg Mileage 57,523Top Failure Suspension — 49.6%

2012High Fail Rate

34.9%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 37,421Avg Mileage 56,963Top Failure Suspension — 51.0%

2013High Fail Rate

35.2%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 26,619Avg Mileage 56,675Top Failure Suspension — 166.6%

2014High Fail Rate

35.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 18,084Avg Mileage 56,566Top Failure Suspension — 163.2%

2015High Fail Rate

38.9%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 12,198Avg Mileage 57,382Top Failure Suspension — 152.0%

2016High Fail Rate

41.0%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 8,116Avg Mileage 56,496Top Failure Suspension — 140.2%

2017High Fail Rate

42.8%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 5,317Avg Mileage 56,911Top Failure Suspension — 127.6%

2018High Fail Rate

45.7%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,434Avg Mileage 56,741Top Failure Suspension — 112.5%

2019High Fail Rate

46.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,864Avg Mileage 57,158Top Failure Suspension — 108.3%

2020High Fail Rate

49.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,322Avg Mileage 56,412Top Failure Suspension — 102.3%

2021High Fail Rate

49.4%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,184Avg Mileage 55,794Top Failure Suspension — 101.7%

2022High Fail Rate

51.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 735Avg Mileage 55,222Top Failure Suspension — 101.6%

2023High Fail Rate

53.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 743Avg Mileage 54,809Top Failure Suspension — 92.9%

2024High Fail Rate

51.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,271Avg Mileage 56,122Top Failure Suspension — 76.3%

MOT results for 1997 Ford Fiesta by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	37.2%	77,642	58,659	Suspension — 42.2%
2010	13	35.9%	63,494	58,188	Suspension — 46.6%
2011	14	35.0%	50,826	57,523	Suspension — 49.6%
2012	15	34.9%	37,421	56,963	Suspension — 51.0%
2013	16	35.2%	26,619	56,675	Suspension — 166.6%
2014	17	35.9%	18,084	56,566	Suspension — 163.2%
2015	18	38.9%	12,198	57,382	Suspension — 152.0%
2016	19	41.0%	8,116	56,496	Suspension — 140.2%
2017	20	42.8%	5,317	56,911	Suspension — 127.6%
2018	21	45.7%	2,434	56,741	Suspension — 112.5%
2019	22	46.0%	1,864	57,158	Suspension — 108.3%
2020	23	49.8%	1,322	56,412	Suspension — 102.3%
2021	24	49.4%	1,184	55,794	Suspension — 101.7%
2022	25	51.8%	735	55,222	Suspension — 101.6%
2023	26	53.6%	743	54,809	Suspension — 92.9%
2024	27	51.8%	1,271	56,122	Suspension — 76.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Ford Fiesta, with age trends.

Suspension

102.2%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

77.0%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

37.9%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

36.4%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

28.1%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	42.2% (12 yrs)	76.3% (27 yrs)	+34.1%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	41.5% (12 yrs)	53.0% (27 yrs)	+11.5%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	20.3% (12 yrs)	18.3% (27 yrs)	-2.0%	🟢 ↓

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 309,270 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.