Car statistics by year

2018 Ford Ka

Ford Ka cars first registered in 2018: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 2018, so like is set against like.

A year of the Ford Ka. “2018” is the year of first registration.

Last updated
Records analysed
10,932 MOT tests of 2018 Ford Ka cars
Methodology
View methodology
  • MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 79.9% All 2018 cars 81.8%
  • Typical mileage at the MOT 34,400 miles; all 2018 cars 50,000
  • Left at the end of 2025 10,884 97.2% of the 11,197 at the end of 2018
  • Tests finding a dangerous defect 5.0% All 2018 cars 5.8%
  • Tests with an advisory 42.3% All 2018 cars 43.2%
  • MOT tests in 2025 10,932 normal tests in Great Britain

How do 2018 Ford Kas do at their MOT?

In 2025, at about 7 years old, 79.9% of 2018 Ford Ka MOT tests were passed first time, against 81.8% for all cars first registered in 2018. 2018 Ford Kas did worse than average for their age, by 1.9 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 83.0% of the time (all 2018 cars 83.4%).

MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Ford Ka vs all cars

Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Ford Ka bar with the all-cars bar beside it.

MOT first-time pass rate in 2025 by year of first registration, Ford Ka compared with all cars
First registered Ford KaAll cars
’08 50.0%57.0%
’09 55.6%58.2%
’10 56.3%59.3%
’11 61.4%61.5%
’12 64.3%63.6%
’13 66.0%66.0%
’14 69.0%69.1%
’15 68.4%72.6%
’16 72.0%75.6%
’17 81.0%79.1%
’18 79.9%81.8%
’19 86.2%84.4%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT failures on the 2018 Ford Ka

Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play was the most common single reason a 2018 Ford Ka failed, on 15.9% of about 2,200 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (36.4% of failed tests; all 2018 cars 23.9%). 5.0% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 5.8% for all cars first registered in 2018. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.

Most common reasons for failure

Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

Most common specific MOT defects on failed 2018 Ford Ka tests, 2025
Defect Share of failed tests
Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play Steering 15.9%
Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 11.0%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes 9.4%
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres 7.4%
Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure 6.8%
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility 6.7%
Headlamp levelling device: inoperative Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 5.1%
Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 4.9%
Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 4.8%
Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres 4.7%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Failure categories: Ford Ka vs all 2018 cars

The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.

Share of failed 2018 Ford Ka MOT tests with a defect in each category, with all 2018 cars for comparison
Category Share of failed tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 36.4%
Tyres 23.2%
Steering 18.9%
Visibility 16.2%
Brakes 14.8%
Body, chassis, structure 11.0%
Suspension 9.4%
Noise, emissions and leaks 5.6%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

Most common MOT advisories on the 2018 Ford Ka

An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 42.3% of 2018 Ford Ka tests had at least one (all 2018 cars 43.2%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.

Most common advisories

Most common MOT advisories on 2018 Ford Ka tests, 2025
Advisory Share of tests
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres 15.0%
Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres 11.8%
Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes 8.8%
Track rod end: ball joint has slight play Steering 4.4%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes 4.0%
Coil spring: corroded Suspension 3.3%
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes 2.1%
Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories 2.0%
Nail in tyre Non-component advisories 1.8%
Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure 1.5%

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

What mileage is normal for a 2018 Ford Ka?

Half of the 2018 Ford Kas tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 34,400 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 22,900 and a quarter more than 47,500. For all cars first registered in 2018, the middle figure was 50,000 miles, so 2018 Ford Kas have been driven 31.2% less far than average.

Mileage at the 2025 MOT

Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.

Odometer readings at the 2025 MOT, 2018 Ford Ka and all 2018 cars, by percentile
10% 25% Median 75% 90% Cars
2018 Ford Ka 14,900 22,900 34,400 47,500 61,400 10,620
All 2018 cars 24,300 35,700 50,000 66,600 85,300 2,108,837
miles

Half of the 2018 Ford Kas tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 34,400 miles.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated

How many 2018 Ford Kas are left?

At the end of 2018, 11,197 2018 Ford Kas were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 10,884 were: 10,803 licensed and 81 declared off the road (SORN). That is 97.2% still on the record, against 96.1% for all cars first registered in 2018.

Share still on the record since 2018

Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2018. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.

2018 Ford Kas on the DVLA record at each year end as a share of the number at the end of 2018, compared with all 2018 cars
Year end 2018 Ford KaAll 2018 cars
2018 100.0%100.0%
2019 98.8%99.9%
2020 96.5%98.2%
2021 98.0%95.9%
2022 97.4%97.2%
2023 97.7%97.0%
2024 97.3%96.7%
2025 97.2%96.1%

Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated

Recalls that may affect cars built around 2018

1 of the Ford Ka’s 5 recalls in DVSA’s records covers cars built during 2018. 1 has no build dates, so could apply to any year.

The 2018 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2018 may have been built in 2017, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.

Ford Ka recalls whose build dates include 2018
Launched Concern Built Vehicles
26 Jul 2019 Un-fused battery monitoring system wire chafing 8 Sept 2017 to 15 May 2019 9,788 (all models)

Every Ford Ka recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls

Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated

Other years of the Ford Ka

18 years of the Ford Ka, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2017 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (81.0% passed first time) and the 2002 cars worst (50.2%).

Ford Kas by year of first registration
Year Registered Left Pass rate All cars
2002 3,940 50.2% 59.7%
2003 3,554 50.2% 58.9%
2004 3,413 50.4% 57.9%
2005 2,891 53.4% 57.7%
2006 3,053 50.4% 56.9%
2007 3,818 50.1% 57.3%
2008 4,296 50.0% 57.0%
2009 14,923 55.6% 58.2%
2010 16,231 56.3% 59.3%
2011 14,162 61.4% 61.5%
2012 15,716 64.3% 63.6%
2013 17,687 66.0% 66.0%
2014 19,154 17,751 69.0% 69.1%
2015 13,341 12,662 68.4% 72.6%
2016 8,454 8,120 72.0% 75.6%
2017 13,509 13,219 81.0% 79.1%
2018 11,197 10,884 79.9% 81.8%
2019 10,241 10,007 86.2% 84.4%

Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
MOT results and mileage Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Derived statistics UK Motoring
2025 10,932 MOT tests of 2018 Ford Ka cars 15 September 2026
Cars on the record Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport End of 2025 10,884 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) 15 September 2026
  • MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Ford Ka cars first registered in 2018; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2018.
  • Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
  • Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
  • Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
  • Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
  • DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.