1997 Ford Ka — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

58.1%

Latest Pass Rate

63,626

Total Tests (All Years)

46,807 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 Ka as it ages.

12 yrs34.9%

→ ↓2.2%

13 yrs32.7%

→ ↓0.1%

14 yrs32.6%

→ ↑1.7%

15 yrs34.3%

→ ↑0.7%

16 yrs35.0%

→ ↑1.5%

17 yrs36.5%

→ ↑6.7%

18 yrs43.2%

→ ↑4.0%

19 yrs47.2%

→ ↑1.4%

20 yrs48.6%

→ ↑7.5%

21 yrs56.1%

→ ↑0.1%

22 yrs56.2%

→ ↓0.5%

23 yrs55.7%

→ ↑5.6%

24 yrs61.3%

→ ↓0.7%

25 yrs60.6%

→ ↓6.8%

26 yrs53.8%

→ ↑4.3%

27 yrs58.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	34.9%	19,639
13 yrs	32.7%	15,423
14 yrs	32.6%	11,136
15 yrs	34.3%	7,156
16 yrs	35.0%	4,246
17 yrs	36.5%	2,431
18 yrs	43.2%	1,399
19 yrs	47.2%	851
20 yrs	48.6%	533
21 yrs	56.1%	228
22 yrs	56.2%	162
23 yrs	55.7%	106
24 yrs	61.3%	111
25 yrs	60.6%	66
26 yrs	53.8%	65
27 yrs	58.1%	74

Pass Rate Trend

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

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	58.1%	74
2023 (26 yrs)	53.8%	65
2022 (25 yrs)	60.6%	66
2021 (24 yrs)	61.3%	111
2020 (23 yrs)	55.7%	106
2019 (22 yrs)	56.2%	162
2018 (21 yrs)	56.1%	228
2017 (20 yrs)	48.6%	533
2016 (19 yrs)	47.2%	851
2015 (18 yrs)	43.2%	1,399
2014 (17 yrs)	36.5%	2,431
2013 (16 yrs)	35%	4,246
2012 (15 yrs)	34.3%	7,156
2011 (14 yrs)	32.6%	11,136
2010 (13 yrs)	32.7%	15,423
2009 (12 yrs)	34.9%	19,639

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

34.9%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 19,639Avg Mileage 61,281Top Failure Suspension — 46.5%

2010High Fail Rate

32.7%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 15,423Avg Mileage 61,384Top Failure Suspension — 50.2%

2011High Fail Rate

32.6%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 11,136Avg Mileage 60,225Top Failure Suspension — 51.9%

2012High Fail Rate

34.3%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 7,156Avg Mileage 59,117Top Failure Suspension — 51.9%

2013High Fail Rate

35.0%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 4,246Avg Mileage 59,031Top Failure Suspension — 168.2%

2014High Fail Rate

36.5%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 2,431Avg Mileage 57,293Top Failure Suspension — 166.8%

2015High Fail Rate

43.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 1,399Avg Mileage 57,606Top Failure Suspension — 136.4%

2016High Fail Rate

47.2%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 851Avg Mileage 56,169Top Failure Suspension — 126.7%

2017High Fail Rate

48.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 533Avg Mileage 54,041Top Failure Suspension — 107.1%

2018High Fail Rate

56.1%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 228Avg Mileage 52,719Top Failure Suspension — 92.5%

2019High Fail Rate

56.2%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 162Avg Mileage 50,509Top Failure Suspension — 93.8%

2020High Fail Rate

55.7%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 106Avg Mileage 45,105Top Failure Suspension — 69.8%

2021High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 111Avg Mileage 44,743Top Failure Suspension — 54.1%

2022High Fail Rate

60.6%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 66Avg Mileage 43,886Top Failure Suspension — 78.8%

2023High Fail Rate

53.8%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 65Avg Mileage 41,715Top Failure Suspension — 73.8%

2024High Fail Rate

58.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 74Avg Mileage 46,807Top Failure Brakes — 31.1%

MOT results for 1997 Ford Ka by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	34.9%	19,639	61,281	Suspension — 46.5%
2010	13	32.7%	15,423	61,384	Suspension — 50.2%
2011	14	32.6%	11,136	60,225	Suspension — 51.9%
2012	15	34.3%	7,156	59,117	Suspension — 51.9%
2013	16	35.0%	4,246	59,031	Suspension — 168.2%
2014	17	36.5%	2,431	57,293	Suspension — 166.8%
2015	18	43.2%	1,399	57,606	Suspension — 136.4%
2016	19	47.2%	851	56,169	Suspension — 126.7%
2017	20	48.6%	533	54,041	Suspension — 107.1%
2018	21	56.1%	228	52,719	Suspension — 92.5%
2019	22	56.2%	162	50,509	Suspension — 93.8%
2020	23	55.7%	106	45,105	Suspension — 69.8%
2021	24	61.3%	111	44,743	Suspension — 54.1%
2022	25	60.6%	66	43,886	Suspension — 78.8%
2023	26	53.8%	65	41,715	Suspension — 73.8%
2024	27	58.1%	74	46,807	Brakes — 31.1%

Common MOT Failures

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

Suspension

87.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

54.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

32.8%

— Consistent

Body, Structure and General Items

31.2%

— Consistent

Seat Belts and Supplementary Restraint Systems

29.7%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	46.5% (12 yrs)	23.0% (27 yrs)	-23.5%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	36.5% (12 yrs)	31.1% (27 yrs)	-5.4%	🟢 ↓
Tyres	20.2% (12 yrs)	20.3% (27 yrs)	+0.1%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Ford Ka cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 63,626 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.