What is the best year for a Ford Fiesta?

Based on MOT data from 2,815,094 Ford Fiestas, when manufacture years are compared at the same mileage, 2019 has the strongest first-time pass rate at 88.1% (weighted across mileage bands). This is a fairer comparison than raw lifetime averages, where newer cars can appear more reliable simply because they have covered fewer miles. Years consistently above average: 2011–2022.

Which Ford Fiesta year should I avoid?

Across mileage-matched bands, 1996 has the weakest weighted first-time pass rate for the Ford Fiesta at 60.4%. Years below the model's average: 1984–1999.

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Which year Ford Fiesta is most reliable?

Based on 2,815,094 vehicles (1980–2023) and millions of DVLA MOT records.

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Not just "newer is more reliable"

These rankings compare each year at the same mileage point — a 2003 Fiesta at 80,000 miles is judged against a 2014 Fiesta at 80,000 miles, not its full lifetime average. Verdicts are also relative to this model's own average, not a universal scale. That's the difference between "old cars wear out" and "this year is genuinely more or less reliable."

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Years to look for

2011–2022

Above-average pass rate — these years consistently do better than other Fiestas

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Below model average

1984–1999

Lower pass rate than other Fiestas — worth checking the MOT history before buying

See common failures for 1996 →

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Dataset

2,815,094

vehicles · 1980–2023 · millions of MOT records

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CarHunch sweet spot — 1980, 2002–2019

These years hit the reliability-to-value sweet spot: a 71.9–90.1% pass rate, well above this model's median, but old enough to have depreciated significantly from peak price. If budget matters alongside reliability, start your search here.

Pass rate by year

Year	Pass rate	Vehicles
2022	95.1%	7,451	Limited data
2021	92.3%	3,701	Limited data
2020	89.5%	19,985	Recommended
2019	90.1%	73,396	Best year
2018	89.4%	92,986	Recommended
2017	86.5%	93,400	Recommended
2016	81.2%	119,964	Recommended
2015	80.8%	132,886	Recommended
2014	80.5%	130,716	Recommended
2013	79.5%	121,713	Recommended
2012	78.8%	107,843	Recommended
2011	78.3%	95,932	Recommended
2010	76.3%	102,457
2009	75.2%	115,593
2008	74.8%	94,157
2007	74.8%	102,451
2006	73.8%	102,274
2005	73.9%	82,908
2004	73.7%	90,045
2003	73.8%	95,756
2002	71.9%	91,780
2001	69.6%	99,490
2000	68.1%	89,500
1999	66.3%	96,385	Below avg
1998	64.7%	110,689	Below avg
1997	63.0%	110,607	Below avg
1996	61.5%	116,556	Worst year
1995	61.5%	88,952	Below avg
1994	60.3%	67,250	Below avg
1993	60.0%	40,938	Below avg
1992	59.9%	38,643	Below avg
1991	61.8%	25,137	Below avg
1990	60.3%	19,002	Below avg
1989	61.1%	14,071	Below avg
1988	60.0%	7,009	Limited data
1987	60.9%	3,623	Limited data
1986	62.3%	2,042	Limited data
1985	64.2%	1,483	Limited data
1984	63.3%	1,286	Limited data
1983	68.5%	1,585	Limited data
1982	69.8%	1,292	Limited data
1981	70.3%	849	Limited data
1980	72.3%	480	Limited data

Click any year to see full MOT history, common faults and comparisons for those cars. Verdicts are relative to this model's own average — a good Land Rover year is judged differently from a good Toyota year.

How each year holds up at higher mileage

Each line is a different model year. The mileage ranges are divided into 5 equal groups based on how this model is actually driven in the real world — so you're comparing like-for-like, not arbitrary round numbers.

Only years with enough data across at least 3 mileage ranges are shown. Newer years appear in blue; older years in amber.

How is this measured?

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What "pass rate" means

The percentage of all MOT tests that resulted in a pass — counted across a car's whole life, not just its first test. Higher means fewer failures over time.

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Mileage groups built from real data

We split this model's real-world mileage history into 5 equal groups — so each slice contains the same number of cars, not an arbitrary round number like "0–30,000 miles."

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Does age still matter?

Yes. A low-mileage 20-year-old car has still had 20 years of weather, perishing rubber, and ageing electrics. Comparing at the same mileage narrows the gap between old and new — but doesn't erase it entirely.

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Why this beats surveys

Our figures come from the DVLA's national MOT database — over 50 million real test results from accredited garages, with no opinions involved. Most reliability guides are based on owner surveys with a few hundred responses per model.

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