(2021 registrations)
(2020 registrations)
2021 cohort
(not a wet belt)
The Puma has been the UK’s best-selling new car every year since 2023, reaching a record 55,488 registrations in 2025. A 2021 car is now reaching the used market in volume and has been through its first MOT, so for the first time there are real figures to work with. They need reading alongside recall status and the wet belt question that dominates every Ford EcoBoost conversation.
Figures are derived from the DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results dataset, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Every MOT records the test outcome plus each defect as a coded “reason for rejection” or advisory.
Percentages are share of tests, not share of failures — so “2.6% tyre tread” means 2.6 in every 100 tests failed for that item. A single test can record several defects, so the columns do not sum to 100%.
A UK car does not need its first MOT until it is three years old, so a 2021 registration reached its first test in 2024. Every figure on this page describes that registration year and no other.
The 2021 cohort covers 443 tests. That is a real sample but a small one, so read the figures below as a strong signal rather than a settled average.
On a car this young, outstanding recalls, remaining manufacturer warranty and a service record showing the correct oil tell you more than any pass rate can.
Top MOT failure items
These are the defects that actually caused a Ford Puma (2021) to fail its MOT, ranked by how often they appear across all tests.
Most common MOT advisories
Advisories are the early-warning layer. They don’t fail the car, but they tell you what the next owner will be paying for — and they are the single most useful thing to read before you buy.
| Advisory item | Share of tests | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre worn close to legal limit | 9.8% | First set of tyres often goes at the first MOT. |
| Brake pads wearing thin | 7.4% | Budget £150–£280 per axle. |
| Brake disc lightly corroded | 4.6% | Common on low-mileage cars that sit. |
| Wiper blade deteriorated | 3.1% | Trivial, but a failure if it smears. |
| Suspension bush slight deterioration | 2.4% | Early signs only at this age. |
| Engine oil leak (not excessive) | 1.6% | Worth investigating on a car this young. |
| Exhaust minor corrosion | 1.2% | Surface only at three years. |
| Brake fluid contaminated | 1.1% | Due for a change at three years. |
| Ball joint dust cover deteriorated | 0.9% | Cheap to fix now. |
| Coil spring corroded | 0.6% | Rare at this age. |
Which system fails most
Grouping every recorded defect by vehicle system shows where the money goes on a three-year-old Puma.
Early MOT results are strong. The 2021 registration cohort passes at 90.7% across 443 tests, and 2020 cars at 90.0% across 369 tests. Hybrid variants pass at around 90%.
Read published Puma statistics carefully. Aggregated “Ford Puma” MOT figures include the 1997–2002 Puma coupe, which drags the headline pass rate down to the low 70s and introduces corrosion and load-bearing-structure failures that have nothing to do with the current crossover. The by-year figures above isolate the modern car.
Model averages describe the model. Enter the registration to see this car’s real MOT history, every recorded advisory, its mileage timeline and any finance, theft or write-off markers.
The wet belt question, answered properly
Every Ford EcoBoost conversation ends up here, and there is a lot of misinformation. The Puma’s position is genuinely better than the older Fiesta and Focus EcoBoost engines, but it is not a clean bill of health either. Here is the actual arrangement.
- The Puma’s 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV drives its camshafts with a timing chain, not the wet belt used on older Fiesta and Focus EcoBoost engines.
- This removes the catastrophic failure mode that gave earlier EcoBoost engines their reputation.
- Owner forums report no pattern of cambelt failures on Pumas from 2020 onwards.
- The 48V mild hybrid system has proved reliable in early ownership.
- The oil pump is still driven by a belt that runs in oil. This is the part people mean when they say the Puma “still has a wet belt”.
- If that belt degrades, debris can block the oil pickup strainer — which starves the engine regardless of how healthy the chain is.
- Protection is the same as on any wet-belt Ford: correct-spec oil, changed on time, with documentation.
- Ford recall R/2020/089 covered a potential coolant leak on certain Puma and Kuga models. Confirm it was completed.
Known faults the MOT won’t catch
The MOT tests roadworthiness, not mechanical health. These are the expensive items owners actually report — costs are indicative UK independent-specialist ranges, not quotes.
Pre-purchase checklist
Work through this in order. The first few cost nothing and rule out most bad cars.
- Check recall R/2020/089 has been completed — it is free, and outstanding recalls are common on cars sold privately.
- Ask for service invoices showing the oil specification. On any Ford EcoBoost this is the document that matters most.
- Confirm how much manufacturer warranty remains and whether it transfers.
- Do not rely on MOT history — a 2023-onwards car may not have one at all.
- Test all infotainment functions, including phone mirroring, before you commit.
- Check the 12V battery health if the car has been used for short trips or stood unused.
- Inspect the brake discs for corrosion, especially on a low-mileage example.
- Verify finance and write-off status — young cars are far more likely to carry outstanding finance.
FAQs
Is the Ford Puma reliable?
Early MOT data is encouraging: 2021 registrations pass at 90.7% and 2020 cars at 90.0%. Be careful with headline “Ford Puma” reliability statistics, though, because many datasets merge this crossover with the 1997-2002 Puma coupe and produce a much worse figure than the modern car deserves.
Does the Ford Puma have a wet belt?
Partly. The camshafts are driven by a timing chain, not the wet belt used on older Fiesta and Focus EcoBoost engines. However, the oil pump is still driven by a belt that runs in engine oil, so correct-spec oil changed on schedule remains essential.
What recalls affect the Ford Puma?
Recall R/2020/089 covered a potential coolant leak on certain Puma and Kuga models that could lead to engine overheating. Always check outstanding recalls by registration before buying, as the work is free.
Why does the Puma have so little MOT data?
Because it is a young car. UK vehicles do not need an MOT until they are three years old, so only 2020-2022 registrations have meaningful test history. A 2024 or 2025 car has none at all.
Is the mild hybrid system a problem?
No significant pattern of failures has emerged. The most common mHEV-related complaint is 12V battery drain on cars used for short journeys or left standing, which presents as assorted electrical warnings rather than a hybrid fault.
A CarCheckReport covers MOT and advisory history, mileage anomalies, outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, import and scrapped status — using DVLA, DVSA and Experian data.