HowreliableUsed car reliability from every MOT

CarsFord S-Max

MOT results · tests in 2025 · Great Britain

Ford S-Max reliability: what the MOT shows

67,870 S-Maxes had an MOT in 2025. 64.6% passed first time, against 65.0% for other cars of the same age and mileage.

64.6%passed first time

−0.4points against cars of the same age and mileage

1.6×as many seat belts and supplementary restraint systems failures as comparable cars

Report card

Ford S-Max MOT results by registration year

Each dot compares how often S-Maxes of that year failed on one area of the test with cars of the same age and mileage.

Much betterBetterAbout the sameWorseMuch worse

Year	Passed first time	Against same age and mileage	MOTs
2006	50.2%	−5.1	932
2007	52.1%	−3.2	3,261
2008	53.4%	−1.0	3,511
2009	55.9%	+0.8	4,862
2010	58.0%	+1.5	7,796
2011	60.8%	+2.3	5,967
2012	60.1%	−0.5	6,611
2013	61.2%	−1.8	6,006
2014	64.0%	−2.1	6,289
2015	69.2%	−0.7	3,267
2016	75.8%	+2.6	6,842
2017	78.6%	+2.1	5,244
2018	80.7%	+0.8	2,396
2019	73.6%	−8.8	2,293
2020	80.4%	−5.1	1,140
2021	80.3%	−6.3	707
2022	81.6%	−7.4	745

Much worse: failed on that area at least 1.5 times as often. Worse: 1.15 to 1.5 times. Better: up to 0.87 times. Much better: two-thirds as often or less. Gaps under half a percentage point count as about the same. Registration year is the year the car was first used.

Ford S-Max years to avoid, going by the MOT

Well behind2006−5.1 ptsMost common failure: suspension arm (corroded and seriously weakened). 932 MOTs.

Behind2007−3.2 ptsMost common failure: stop lamp (not working). 3,261 MOTs.

Level2008 to 2010−1.0 to +1.5 ptsMost common failures: stop lamp (not working) in 2008; position lamp (not working) in 2009 and 2010. 16,169 MOTs.

Ahead2011+2.3 ptsMost common failure: joints (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt). 5,967 MOTs.

Level2012−0.5 ptsMost common failure: joints (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt). 6,611 MOTs.

Behind2013 to 2014−1.8 to −2.1 ptsMost common failure in every one of these years: joints (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt). 12,295 MOTs.

Level2015−0.7 ptsMost common failure: tyre pressure monitoring system (malfunctioning or obviously inoperative). 3,267 MOTs.

Ahead2016 to 2017+2.1 to +2.6 ptsMost common failures: tyre pressure monitoring system (malfunctioning or obviously inoperative) in 2016; brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) in 2017. 12,086 MOTs.

Level2018+0.8 ptsMost common failure: brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick). 2,396 MOTs.

Well behind2019 to 2022−5.1 to −8.8 ptsMost common failure in every one of these years: headlamp (not working on dipped beam). 4,885 MOTs.

Well behind: 5 or more points below cars of the same age and mileage. Behind: 1.5 to 5 points below. Level: within 1.5 points. Ahead: 1.5 or more points above.

What fails

Ford S-Max common faults at the MOT

2.1% of S-Max MOTs failed on seat belts and supplementary restraint systems, against 1.3% for cars of the same age and mileage, and 10.0% on tyres, against 7.4%.

Most common failures

Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.7%Cars of the same age and mileage: 3.0%

Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3.7%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.2%

Position lamp: not working3.2%Cars of the same age and mileage: 4.0%

Condition: has ply or cords exposed3.0%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.7%

Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.7%Cars of the same age and mileage: 2.1%

Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.6%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.9%

Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps2.6%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.7%

Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.0%Cars of the same age and mileage: 1.2%

S-MaxSame age and mileage

Fails more often than other cars

Side repeaters: missing6.6×0.21% of S-Max MOTs (146) against 0.03% for cars of the same age and mileage

Suspension arm: corroded and seriously weakened6.2×1.39% of S-Max MOTs (942) against 0.22% for cars of the same age and mileage

Condition: buckle not functioning as intended5.0×0.70% of S-Max MOTs (476) against 0.14% for cars of the same age and mileage

Pins and bushes: pin or bush likely to become detached3.8×0.31% of S-Max MOTs (209) against 0.08% for cars of the same age and mileage

Headlamp: insecure3.1×0.67% of S-Max MOTs (456) against 0.21% for cars of the same age and mileage

Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative2.8×1.29% of S-Max MOTs (872) against 0.46% for cars of the same age and mileage

Mileage

First-time pass rate by mileage

Against cars of the same age and mileage, in points: Under 30k: −7.3, 30–60k: −1.3, 60–90k: +1.2, 90–120k: +0.2, 120k+: −1.0.

S-Max, first-time pass rateCars of the same age and mileage

Petrol, diesel or hybrid S-Max

Diesels passed 64.2% first time, 0.4 points below comparable cars; petrols passed 67.0%, 0.9 points above comparable cars. Diesels had a median of 105,667 miles at the test, against 86,342 for petrols. Hybrids are mostly newer cars (median 22,523 miles), so compare them with care.

Fuel	MOTs	Passed first time	Same age and mileage	Gap (pts)	Median miles
Diesel	61,175	64.2%	64.7%	−0.4	105,667
Petrol	6,147	67.0%	66.2%	+0.9	86,342
Hybrid	546	81.7%	89.1%	−7.4	22,523

Against rivals

S-Max against other people carriers

Cars registered 2014 to 2021, each against cars of the same age and mileage. The S-Max ranks 1 of 2.

Model	MOTs	Passed first time	Same age and mileage	Gap (pts)
1. Ford S-Max	28,178	73.5%	74.0%	−0.5
2. Ford Galaxy	25,539	73.5%	74.7%	−1.2

Check these before you buy a used S-Max

What testers most often noted as advisories on S-Maxes in 2025: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for cars of the same age and mileage.

Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge26% (19%)
Brake pads: wearing thin15% (8%)
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened12% (11%)
Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement11% (8%)
Coil spring: corroded9% (5%)
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive8% (8%)
Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened7% (2%)
Condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing6% (8%)

Questions about S-Max reliability

Is the Ford S-Max reliable?

At the MOT, 64.6% of 67,870 S-Max MOTs in 2025 passed first time, against 65.0% for cars of the same age and mileage. 2006: well behind (−5.1 points). 2007: behind (−3.2 points). 2008 to 2010: level (−1.0 to +1.5 points). 2011: ahead (+2.3 points). 2012: level (−0.5 points). 2013 to 2014: behind (−1.8 to −2.1 points). 2015: level (−0.7 points). 2016 to 2017: ahead (+2.1 to +2.6 points). 2018: level (+0.8 points). 2019 to 2022: well behind (−5.1 to −8.8 points).

Which Ford S-Max years should I avoid?

Going by 2025 MOT results, 2006 and 2007 and 2013 to 2014 and 2019 to 2022. Those cars passed first time −5.1 and −3.2 and −1.8 to −2.1 and −5.1 to −8.8 points against comparable cars.

What is the most common MOT failure on a S-Max?

Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm: 3.7% of S-Max MOTs, against 3.0% for cars of the same age and mileage.

Is a diesel or petrol S-Max more reliable?

Petrol S-Maxes passed 67.0% first time and diesels 64.2%. Against cars of the same age and mileage, petrols were 0.9 points above and diesels 0.4 points below.

Is the S-Max more reliable than the Ford Galaxy?

For cars registered 2014 to 2021, the Ford Galaxy passed 73.5% first time, −1.2 points against comparable cars. The S-Max passed 73.5%, −0.5 points.

How we measure

Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025 (31,475,521 first tests on cars first used 2005 to 2022), from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data. Retests are left out.

Passed first time. A car passed if its first test that year ended in a pass. Cars that failed and were fixed within the hour count as fails, as DVSA counts them.

Same age and mileage. We group every car by the year it was first used and its mileage (under 30k, 30–60k, 60–90k, 90–120k, over 120k). The comparison figure is what those groups scored, weighted to match the S-Max's mix of ages and mileages.

Model. Every car DVSA records as a Ford S-Max: 9 recorded model names, from "S-MAX" to trims such as "S-MAX TITANIUM HEV CVT".

The full method, including how each report-card dot and year group is decided.