Ford Kuga, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
381,501 Ford Kugas are licensed in the UK, the 18th most common model on the road. In 2025 they passed 79.4% of initial MOT tests, 7.1 points above the 72.3% UK average.
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Ford Kuga at the MOT
79.4% of 312,077 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Kuga 207th of 575 models. Ford Kugas aged 3 to 5 years passed 87.2% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 64%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Ford Kuga tests in 2025.
Where Kugas fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Ford Kuga tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were position lamp not working (7.9%), brake pads less than 1.5 mm thick (7.6%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (7.4%).
The MOT page lists every common Kuga MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Kuga's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.26.8% of Kuga failure items
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Tyres
Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear.20.5% of Kuga failure items
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Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.16.7% of Kuga failure items
Ford Kugas in the UK
381,501 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has grown 365% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- +365%from 82,041 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2018half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2018 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 23,456against 41,819 in 2019
- Declared off the road
- 10,4492.7% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Ford Kugas since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 82,041 |
| End of 2015 | 112,852 |
| End of 2016 | 147,595 |
| End of 2017 | 183,790 |
| End of 2018 | 220,948 |
| End of 2019 | 260,552 |
| End of 2020 | 271,793 |
| End of 2021 | 290,648 |
| End of 2022 | 316,654 |
| End of 2023 | 341,173 |
| End of 2024 | 359,531 |
| End of 2025 | 377,026 |
| End of June 2026 | 381,501 |
How old they are
Licensed Ford Kugas by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 1,844 were first used before 2009.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22,176 | 23,456 |
| 2024 | 24,727 | 25,699 |
| 2023 | 28,198 | 29,648 |
| 2022 | 24,480 | 26,618 |
| 2021 | 19,732 | 20,771 |
| 2020 | 15,124 | 15,992 |
| 2019 | 39,908 | 41,819 |
| 2018 | 37,491 | 40,448 |
| 2017 | 36,298 | 39,257 |
| 2016 | 32,747 | 35,641 |
| 2015 | 29,850 | 33,094 |
| 2014 | 21,679 | |
| 2013 | 11,860 | |
| 2012 | 8,655 | |
| 2011 | 8,067 | |
| 2010 | 7,959 | |
| 2009 | 5,630 |
29,850 Kugas first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 90% of the 33,094 first registered that year.
Kuga engines and fuel
2.0 litre engines made up 60% of Ford Kuga MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.5 litre at 31%. Diesel accounts for 58% of licensed Kugas and petrol for 19%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 312,051 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed Kugas
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 73,647 | 19% |
| Diesel | 220,177 | 58% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 48,655 | 13% |
| Hybrid electric | 39,019 | 10% |
| Other fuels | 3 | <0.1% |
Ford Kuga recalls
40 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Ford Kuga. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Kuga is affected.
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Sep 2026 R/2026/366
Multi Vehicle Line: Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) Unexpected Activation / Deactivation
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles have been identified where the Traffic Sign Recognition and Driver Alert System are being turned on or off without the expected notification to the driver.
- Remedy
- Update the vehicles configuration and Software.
-
Sep 2026 R/2026/355
26S62 Kuga - EDS Wiring touch
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may have a touch condition between a fixing screw and push nut to the Instrument Panel (IP) wiring harness. If the vehicle's wiring is damaged different warning messages may appear depending on which wire is affected. These could include warnings for the airbag system eCall stability control or driver assistance features such as Lane Keeping Aid or Pre-Collision Assist. The airbags will not deploy by accident but if an airbag warning is ignored the airbags may not work correctly in a crash. In some cases the vehicle could lose power while driving and display a "Stop safely now" message. If this happens braking and steering will still work so the driver can safely bring the vehicle to a stop. Damaged wiring could also cause a short circuit which may increase the risk of fire.
- Remedy
- Inspect and reposition wiring harness to increase clearance and protect surfaces and if necessary repair or replace the instrument panel wiring harness.
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Aug 2026 R/2026/160
26S10 - Kuga Ranger - Potential Exhaust Gas Recirculation Valve Failure
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve may fail leading to weak acceleration engine vibration a no start condition or a loss of power.
- Remedy
- Replace the EGR valve.
-
Jun 2026 R/2026/268
Multi Vehicle Line: Unintended High Beam Behaviour - Compliance
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may experience erratic behaviour of the Glare Free High Beam function under certain circumstances.
- Remedy
- Update the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems Electronic Control Unit software.
-
Jun 2026 R/2026/237
Transit Courier: Diesel DV-Neo Engine Coolant Pump Update
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may have been repaired using a coolant pump with a potential issue. This issue may lead to incorrect engine timing resulting in an engine failure causing a sudden loss of power without prior warning. The engine cannot be restarted.
- Remedy
- Check and replace the water pump and timing belt if necessary.
-
May 2026 R/2026/181
Multi Vehicle Line (MVL): Telecommunications Control Module (TCU) loss of Function Software Update
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles may experience a loss of emergency call system (eCall) functionality which impacts both automatic and manual eCall events.
- Remedy
- Update the Telematics Control Unit software to the latest level.
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Nov 2025 R/2025/527
25SC4 Kuga - Do not charge high voltage battery to levels above 80%
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the high voltage battery may have some cells that could potentially develop a short circuit leading to a Stop Safely Now message and possible loss of motive power or battery thermal venting.
- Remedy
- Update the vehicle's Battery Energy Control Module software.
-
Sep 2025 R/2025/341
25S61 - Kuga - Cylinder head replacement
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the cylinder head may have loose ball plugs. This condition may result in a rapid oil leak if a ball plug comes out of the cylinder head.
- Remedy
- Replace the cylinder head.
Kuga vs similar cars
Head-to-head comparisons on the same 2025 DVSA data.
Other Ford models
The most-tested Ford models in 2025, against the Kuga's 79.4% MOT pass rate.
Ford Kuga FAQs
How many Ford Kugas are there in the UK?
381,501 Ford Kugas were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 10,449 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Ford Kuga reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 79.4% first-time pass rate for the Ford Kuga across 312,077 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Ford Kuga had any recalls?
40 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Ford Kuga. The most recent was published in September 2026. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Ford Kuga?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, tyres and brakes. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a Ford Kuga's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found a Kuga?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Ford history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Ford VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.