How reliable is the Ford Puma?
DVSA recorded 177,507 MOT tests on the Ford Puma (2000 to 2023 cars) in 2023 to 2025. 91.1% of them were a pass, against 71.7% for every car tested. Raw pass rates flatter young models and punish old ones, so we also compare each Puma with cars of the same age: on that basis it does 4.8 points better than a typical car, which makes it above average. The cleanest measure of build quality is the first test at three years old, where the Puma scores 92.4% against 87.9% for all cars. The most common reason for a fail is a tyre worn or cut to the cords.
The Puma's weak points
The Puma's failures cluster around tyres and lights: a tyre worn or cut to the cords on 15.2% of fails, headlamp aim out of adjustment on 10.9%. Percentages can add to more than 100 because one failed test often records several defects.
Tyres are an easy failure to avoid. Check the tread and look for cuts and bulges the week before the test, not on the forecourt.
What testers flag before it fails
These are the advisories most often recorded on a Ford Puma: items that passed on the day but were wearing. Tyre tread below the legal minimum is noted on 9.9% of all tests. If one of these is on a car's last certificate, it is the next repair. Nationally, an advisory on lights becomes a failure 36.1% of the time.
Does fuel type matter on a Puma?
The petrol Puma has the better record at 91.1%; the hybrid manages 89.7%. The difference is within noise.
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 91.1% | 175,259 |
| Hybrid | 89.7% | 1,382 |
Pass rate by year of first use
Pass rates run from 63.5% for 2000 cars to 94.8% for 2023 cars. Most of that spread is age: a car tested at ten years old has had far more chances to wear something out than one tested at four.
| First used | Pass rate | Tests | Miles a year | First MOT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Puma 2023 | 94.8% | 2,300 | 9,435 | – |
| Ford Puma 2022 | 92.5% | 37,153 | 7,587 | 92.4% |
| Ford Puma 2021 | 92.4% | 56,918 | 7,655 | 92.2% |
| Ford Puma 2020 | 91.2% | 76,109 | 6,919 | 92.7% |
| Ford Puma 2002 | 59.9% | 1,413 | 3,653 | – |
| Ford Puma 2001 | 61.8% | 1,862 | 3,546 | – |
| Ford Puma 2000 | 63.5% | 1,752 | 3,409 | – |
How mileage changes the Puma's odds
Take the 2020 Puma, the year with the most tests: cars with under 40,000 miles on the clock pass 92.5% of the time, and that falls to 67.9% over 100,000. A 25-point drop across the mileage range is a bigger effect than the difference between most makes.
| Mileage at test (2020 cars) | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92.5% | 62,936 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.6% | 11,240 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.7% | 1,604 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 77.1% | 245 |
| Over 100,000 | 67.9% | 84 |
Ford stablemates and rivals
The average Ford passes 68.5% of tests, so the Puma is one of the stronger cars in the range. Within the family, see how the Fiesta does (65.9%), Ford Focus MOT pass rate (67.9%), Ford Transit reliability (66.9%) and Ford Kuga MOT pass rate (79.5%), or other Ford models. For a cross-make comparison, the Skoda Superb and Vauxhall Grandland have similar test volumes and their own pages. The full reliability table puts them side by side, and the UK pass rates by age and fuel give the baseline.
Year by year
Each year opens to show its own failure list and pass rate by mileage.
Ford Puma 2023 94.8% pass 2,300 tests
On a 2023 Ford Puma, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 13.4% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 10.9%.
2023 cars pass 94.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 100% at 80,000 to 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 94.9% | 2,218 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 92.5% | 67 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 92.3% | 13 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 100% | 2 |
Ford Puma 2022 92.5% pass 37,153 tests92.4% at first MOT
On a 2022 Ford Puma, headlamp aim out of adjustment appears on 16.9% of failed tests, with a tyre worn or cut to the cords next at 16.6%.
2022 cars pass 92.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 76.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92.9% | 34,496 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.8% | 2,076 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.8% | 450 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 80% | 105 |
| Over 100,000 | 76.9% | 26 |
Ford Puma 2021 92.4% pass 56,918 tests92.2% at first MOT
On a 2021 Ford Puma, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 16.3% of failed tests, with headlamp aim out of adjustment next at 12.1%.
2021 cars pass 93.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 85.7% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 93.3% | 48,573 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 87.9% | 6,894 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 83.4% | 1,148 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 83% | 247 |
| Over 100,000 | 85.7% | 56 |
By fuel: petrol 92.5% (56,206 tests), hybrid 90.2% (706 tests).
Ford Puma 2020 91.2% pass 76,109 tests92.7% at first MOT
On a 2020 Ford Puma, a tyre worn or cut to the cords appears on 14.8% of failed tests, with brake pads worn below 1.5mm next at 14.7%.
2020 cars pass 92.5% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 67.9% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 92.5% | 62,936 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 85.6% | 11,240 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 81.7% | 1,604 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 77.1% | 245 |
| Over 100,000 | 67.9% | 84 |
By fuel: petrol 91.2% (75,429 tests), hybrid 89.1% (676 tests).
Ford Puma 2002 59.9% pass 1,413 tests
On a 2002 Ford Puma, body mounting corroded at a mounting point appears on 31.7% of failed tests, with body mounting weakened at a mounting point next at 15.7%.
2002 cars pass 81.3% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 50.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 81.3% | 160 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 64% | 267 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 57.4% | 310 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 59.3% | 307 |
| Over 100,000 | 50.1% | 369 |
Ford Puma 2001 61.8% pass 1,862 tests
On a 2001 Ford Puma, body mounting corroded at a mounting point appears on 27.4% of failed tests, with body mounting weakened at a mounting point next at 12.4%.
2001 cars pass 82.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 56% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 82.9% | 175 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 70.3% | 330 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 59.3% | 460 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 55.3% | 432 |
| Over 100,000 | 56% | 464 |
Ford Puma 2000 63.5% pass 1,752 tests
On a 2000 Ford Puma, body mounting corroded at a mounting point appears on 20.8% of failed tests, with a split CV boot next at 12.3%.
2000 cars pass 79.9% of the time at under 40,000 miles, falling to 54.1% over 100,000.
| Mileage at test | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40,000 | 79.9% | 199 |
| 40,000 to 60,000 | 71.1% | 284 |
| 60,000 to 80,000 | 63.3% | 409 |
| 80,000 to 100,000 | 60.6% | 393 |
| Over 100,000 | 54.1% | 464 |
Questions people ask
How reliable is the Ford Puma?
On MOT evidence the Ford Puma is above average. It passes 91.1% of tests against 71.7% for all cars, and beats cars of the same age by 4.8 points. 92.4% pass their first MOT at three years old. Figures from 177,507 DVSA tests.
What fails a Ford Puma MOT most often?
A tyre worn or cut to the cords (15.2% of failed tests), headlamp aim out of adjustment (10.9%) and brake pads worn below 1.5mm (9%). Tyres are an easy failure to avoid. Check the tread and look for cuts and bulges the week before the test, not on the forecourt.
What is the best year for a used Ford Puma?
Among years with a large sample, 2022 cars have the highest pass rate at 92.5% and 2020 cars the lowest at 91.2%. Newer years pass more because they are younger, so compare a specific car's year against the table above rather than against the overall figure.
What advisories does a Ford Puma usually get?
Tyre tread below the legal minimum is the most frequent, noted on 9.9% of all Puma tests, then a damaged tyre sidewall (6%). An advisory passes the car today but marks the item most likely to fail next year.
How many miles a year does a Ford Puma do?
About 7,231 miles a year on average, calculated from the odometer readings recorded at consecutive MOTs. That is close to the UK average of roughly 7,400.
Does the Ford Puma pass rate apply to my car?
The figures describe the whole fleet. For one car, enter its registration in the free MOT check to see its own test history, advisories and mileage, set against these averages for its year.
Own a Puma?
Enter the registration to see its own MOT history, advisories and mileage set against these figures, including whether it has done more or fewer than the 7,231 miles a year typical of the model.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 to 2025. Class 4 cars, normal tests only; a pass after rectification counts as an initial failure. Age-adjusted figures compare the model's pass rate at each age with the national rate at the same age. Methodology.