Ford Focus vs Vauxhall Astra: which is the better used buy?

On DVSA MOT records the Ford Focus and the Vauxhall Astra are too close to call — 0.8 percentage points apart on first-time MOT passes once you allow for the age of each fleet, which is inside what the choice of cars counted can move. A winner is named only at 2 points or more. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. Choose on the fault patterns and running costs below.

MOT first-time pass rate

Counted from DVSA’s anonymised MOT test records. “vs age-matched” compares each model against what the national fleet scores at the same age — the only fair better-or-worse number, because an older fleet fails more whatever its build quality.

Ford Focus

Pass rate74.7%

Age-matched national74.8%

Difference-0.1

Tests93,066

Vauxhall Astra

Pass rate72.5%

Age-matched national73.4%

Difference-0.9

Tests62,313

Model	Pass rate	Age-matched national	Difference	Tests
Ford Focus	74.7%	74.8%	-0.1	93,066
Vauxhall Astra	72.5%	73.4%	-0.9	62,313

These figures count every generation still on the road, not only the one described below: mostly Ford Focus registered 2001–2022 and Vauxhall Astras registered 2001–2022.

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a first-time pass; DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. The difference is worked out before rounding, so it can be 0.1 away from the two rounded figures beside it.

Ford Focus

Mk4, 2018–2025 · compact family hatch

The Mk4 Ford Focus (2018–2025) drives brilliantly. The critical check is the 1.0 EcoBoost engine: early non-hybrid cars have a wet cam belt that owners report failing, while the 2020-on mild hybrid uses a chain-driven camshaft. Best-buy: 2021+ mild hybrid. Worst: early 2019.

What goes wrong

Safety recall R/2022/171recall
The right-hand engine oil seperator may have been damaged prior to engine assembly.
9,818 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 4 February 2020 and 18 March 2021
Smaller recall — 9,818 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
1.0 EcoBoost wet-belt failurecritical
Loss of compression; check engine; belt debris in oil; in worst case complete engine destruction
Non-hybrid Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost with the original wet cam belt (2018 into 2019/2020). The mild hybrid (2020 on) uses a chain-driven camshaft; a smaller wet belt still drives the oil pump. The cut-over was not a clean model-year change, so confirm by engine code · On cars with the original wet cam belt, independent specialists advise changing it nearer 60,000 miles or 7 years than Ford's original interval · Belt + tensioner + labour: £700–£1,100 preventatively. Engine rebuild after failure: £4,500–£7,000.
Check: Confirm the engine version by engine code. On an original wet-cam-belt car, ask for a dated invoice for the belt change; no record means budgeting for it now. On a mild hybrid, ask about the oil-pump belt. An oil-pan inspection at an independent garage is the best confirmation.
1.5 EcoBlue diesel oil dilutionmajor
Engine oil level rising between services; oil smells of diesel
1.5 EcoBlue diesel, all years · Service interval reduction; in worst cases injector replacement £600–£1,200
Check: Dipstick check pre-purchase: if oil level above max line, oil dilution is occurring.
Rear suspension bushing wearminor
Knocking over rough surfaces; vague handling
All Mk4 · 75,000+ miles · £250–£450
Check: Rough-road portion of test drive.

Typical asking price:: £6,457–£15,495, median £9,490 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:: 44–51 mpg real-world for 1.0 EcoBoost 125PS
Vehicle tax:: £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
Best years:: 2021, 2022, 2023
Years to avoid:: early 2019

Used Ford Focus for sale Full Focus fault guide Used Fords

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Vauxhall Astra

Mk7 / K (2015-2021) · A C-segment family hatchback (with an Astra Sports Tourer estate variant), sold in the UK against rivals such as the Ford Focus, VW Golf and SEAT Leon.

The Vauxhall Astra Mk7 (K), sold in the UK from 2015 to 2021, is an affordable, roomy family hatchback whose reliability depends on engine and build year, because the 2019 facelift brought new engines. On pre-facelift 2015–2018 cars, listen for timing-chain rattle on a cold start (1.4 Turbo and 1.6 CDTi). Best buy: 2020–2021. Worst: 2016–2017.

What goes wrong

Safety recall R/2018/332recall
Reduction in braking power where the brake pedal is applied slowly and constantly
37,167 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 23 March 2015 and 14 August 2018
Large recall — 37,167 vehicles. Check a car by registration on GOV.UK.
Clutch & dual-mass flywheel wear (1.4 Turbo petrol, manual, pre-facelift)major
Slipping clutch, a high or vague biting point, and difficulty selecting gears. A small number of cars have also been reported with the clutch pedal sticking to the floor after being pressed, and owners have separately reported a buzzing/vibration noise from the clutch slave cylinder pipe, most noticeable around 3,000-3,500rpm.
2016-2019 (1.4 Turbo petrol, manual gearbox) · Premature dual-mass flywheel and clutch wear is typically reported from around 40,000-60,000 miles, though isolated cases of much earlier clutch failure have appeared on owner forums, so don't assume low mileage rules it out. · Roughly £500-£900 for a clutch kit and dual-mass flywheel replacement at an independent garage
Check: Test drive uphill and in stop-start traffic: feel for clutch slip under load, a biting point that has crept high, or notchy gear selection. Listen for buzzing/vibration from the transmission tunnel around 3,000rpm, and ask whether the clutch pedal has ever stuck down.
Timing chain wear (1.4 Turbo petrol)critical
A rattling or tapping noise from the engine on cold start-up that fades once oil pressure builds, caused by a stretched timing chain or worn tensioner/guides. In more advanced cases a chain guide can crack, and if ignored the chain can eventually jump timing and cause serious engine damage.
2016-2019 (1.4 Turbo petrol) · Cold-start rattle is most commonly reported from around 50,000-70,000 miles onward, although a handful of much lower-mileage cases have also been reported. · Around £600-£1,200 depending on how accessible the chain is, more if a broken guide or tensioner has caused secondary damage
Check: Start the engine from cold, ideally with the bonnet up, and listen for a rattle in the first few seconds that quietens as oil pressure builds. Ask for any evidence of chain, tensioner or guide work in the service history.
Timing chain tensioner failure (1.6 CDTi diesel)critical
A persistent rattle on every cold start caused by a tensioner design that lacks a gasket, letting oil drain out overnight; the resulting daily rattle gradually stretches and wears the chain. Left unaddressed, this can progress to the chain jumping timing or, in the worst case, snapping.
2015-2018 (1.6 CDTi diesel) · Rattle typically starts to appear from around 60,000-90,000 miles, and can progress to a genuine chain failure risk beyond 100,000 miles if it's never investigated. · Roughly £800-£1,500 or more for a chain and tensioner replacement; substantially higher if the engine has suffered internal damage from a jumped or broken chain
Check: Listen for a rattle on cold start that's present every single morning rather than a one-off noise. Ask specifically whether the timing chain and tensioner have been replaced, and treat a high-mileage 1.6 CDTi with no record of this work with caution.

Typical asking price:: £4,395–£8,668, median £6,190 (middle 80% and median, cars on Autoza on 29 October 2026)
Fuel economy:: 1.0 Turbo (105PS): 44–49 mpg. 1.2 Turbo: 42–47 mpg. 1.6 CDTi diesel: 55–62 mpg. 1.4 Turbo SRi: 38–43 mpg.
Vehicle tax:: £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. A car registered from April 2017 with a list price over £40,000 when new adds the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 (£640 in all). Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:: 2020, 2021
Years to avoid:: 2016, 2017

Used Vauxhall Astras for sale Full Astra fault guide Used Vauxhalls

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Which one suits you

Ford Focus

Good for: Driver-focused family buyers; commuters wanting small petrol; buyers who can verify wet-belt change documentation.

Less good for: Anyone considering an early non-hybrid 1.0 EcoBoost without belt-change evidence.

Vauxhall Astra

Good for: Buyers wanting a roomy, well-priced family hatch with genuinely low running costs on the smaller turbo petrols. The 2020–2021 facelift is the best-resolved version.

Less good for: Anyone considering the 1.4 Turbo SRi without confirmed timing-chain service history, or an early 2015–2016 car with a patchy record — both carry the highest risk of an expensive fault.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is more reliable, the Ford Focus or the Vauxhall Astra?

Neither stands out on the MOT measure. Their first-time MOT pass rates sit 0.8 percentage points apart once each is compared against the national rate for cars of the same age, which is too close to call (we name a winner only at 2 points or more). A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict. Pick on the specific faults each is prone to instead.

How do the MOT pass rates of the Ford Focus and the Vauxhall Astra compare?

74.7% of Ford Focus pass their MOT first time (93,066 tests in DVSA's records) and 72.5% of Vauxhall Astras pass their MOT first time (62,313 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Ford Focus's age average 74.8% and cars of the Vauxhall Astra's age 73.4% — so the Ford Focus runs 0.1 points worse than its age group and the Vauxhall Astra runs 0.9 points worse than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

Which years of the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra should I avoid?

Ford Focus: Early Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost wet-belt failures were catastrophic when they occurred — £4,000+ engine rebuild on a £15k car. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2018 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid. Vauxhall Astra: The 2016-2017 cars are early in this generation's run and account for a disproportionate share of the forum-reported clutch, dual-mass flywheel and timing-chain problems on the original GM-sourced 1.4 Turbo and 1.6 CDTi engines, some of which have surfaced at surprisingly low mileages on cars from this early build period. DVSA recall R/2018/332 (reduced braking power) covers Astras built 23 March 2015 to 14 August 2018, and R/2016/274 (front passenger airbag) the 1,745 built 19 July to 9 November 2016.

Is the Ford Focus or the Vauxhall Astra cheaper to run?

On fuel the Vauxhall Astra has the edge: its most economical version returns up to 62 mpg, against up to 51 mpg for the Ford Focus, on the figures in our model guides. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.

MOT figures are counted from DVSA records and are the only measured statistic here. Prices, economy and tax bands are indicative and vary by specification, condition and where the car has lived. Last reviewed: 2026-10-06 / 2026-10-06.