Comparison · family hatchbacks
Ford Focus vs Vauxhall Astra: which is more reliable?
The Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra are very close at the MOT: scores of 99 and 98. Pick on the condition and history of the actual car. Based on 1,519,106 real MOT tests in 2024.
Ford Focus
Vauxhall Astra
By age
MOT Rank score for each age group (100 = an average car that age).
| Age at test | Ford Focus | Vauxhall Astra |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 100About average | 99About average |
| 6–9 years | 103Above average | 98About average |
| 10–14 years | 96Below average | 100About average |
| 15+ years | 97Below average | 94Below average |
Year by year
Share that passed first time, same registration year.
| Year | Ford Focus | Vauxhall Astra |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 88.3% | 87.5% |
| 2020 | 87.8% | 86.3% |
| 2019 | 83.7% | 84.0% |
| 2018 | 83.4% | 80.8% |
| 2017 | 82.5% | 79.7% |
| 2016 | 79.4% | 76.5% |
| 2015 | 75.6% | 69.6% |
| 2014 | 67.4% | 67.4% |
| 2013 | 63.9% | 66.9% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 65.2% |
| 2011 | 59.1% | 62.2% |
| 2010 | 57.2% | 59.4% |
| 2009 | 56.8% | 55.9% |
| 2008 | 55.6% | 54.6% |
| 2007 | 57.4% | 53.5% |
| 2006 | 57.0% | 51.8% |
| 2005 | 54.0% | 52.2% |
| 2004 | 52.0% | 53.9% |
| 2003 | 52.5% | 55.8% |
| 2002 | 53.1% | 53.1% |
| 2001 | 53.4% | 56.3% |
| 2000 | 52.8% | 56.3% |
| 1999 | 50.3% | 52.9% |
Problem areas
Failure items per 100 tests.
| Area | Ford Focus | Vauxhall Astra |
|---|---|---|
| Lights & electrics | 21.0 | 17.8 |
| Suspension | 12.6 | 13.8 |
| Brakes | 7.5 | 13.9 |
| Tyres | 8.8 | 8.9 |
| Emissions & leaks | 4.6 | 7.0 |
| Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors) | 4.6 | 5.8 |
| Body & chassis | 3.6 | 5.1 |
| Steering | 1.5 | 1.1 |
Ford Focus: top failures
Vauxhall Astra: top failures
Questions
Which is more reliable, the Ford Focus or the Vauxhall Astra?
The Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra are very close at the MOT: scores of 99 and 98. Pick on the condition and history of the actual car.
Which years of the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra can be compared?
Both were tested for 23 registration years (1999–2021). The Ford Focus had the higher pass rate in 11 of them and the Vauxhall Astra in 12.
What fails most on each?
Ford Focus: position lamp: not working; tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Vauxhall Astra: coil spring: fractured or broken; brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick.