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

On DVSA MOT records the Ford Focus and the Vauxhall Astra are level — 0.8 of a percentage point apart once you allow for the age of each fleet, which is too close to separate them. Choose on the fault patterns and running costs below rather than on reliability.

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.

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

Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0). National first-time pass rate 77.3%. Applies to Great Britain — Northern Ireland is tested by the DVA under a separate manual.

Ford Focus

Mk4, 2018–2025 · compact family hatch

The Mk4 Ford Focus (2018–2025) drives brilliantly, but the 1.0 EcoBoost wet belt remains the critical check — the design caused engine-destroying failures on the previous Mk3 generation, and while Mk4 belts are revised, they are still a wear item that must be inspected or changed at 60,000 miles or 7 years. The 1.5 EcoBlue diesel suffers oil dilution on short journeys. Best-buy: 1.0 EcoBoost 2021+ with documented belt evidence. Worst: early Mk4 (2018–2019) 1.0 EcoBoost with no belt history.

What goes wrong

1.0 EcoBoost wet-belt failurecritical
Loss of compression; check engine; belt debris in oil; in worst case complete engine destruction
All Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost — early cars (2018–2019) highest risk; belts revised on later builds · Belt should be inspected/changed at 60,000 miles or 7 years · Belt + tensioner + labour: £700–£1,100 preventatively. Engine rebuild after failure: £4,500–£7,000.
Check: Service history MUST show wet-belt change at correct interval. No record = walk away. Oil pan inspection at 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.
SYNC 3 / SYNC 4 infotainment glitchesminor
Screen freezes; CarPlay disconnects; reboot needed
2018–2021 · Free at Ford dealer software update
Check: Test infotainment fully during inspection.

Typical asking price:: £11,000–£22,000 (2018–2025)
Real-world 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. Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:: 2021, 2022, 2023
Years to avoid:: 2018, early 2019

Full Focus fault guide Used Fords

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 heavily on which engine and build year you buy, not least because Vauxhall's 2019 facelift (under new parent company PSA) swapped in different engines and infotainment. On pre-facelift 2015-2018 cars, the single most important check is the timing chain: both the 1.4-litre turbo petrol and 1.6-litre CDTi diesel are chain-driven rather than belt-driven, and both are well documented for tensioner wear and cold-start rattle from roughly 50,000-90,000 miles, a fault that can cause serious engine damage if ignored, so listen carefully for rattle on a cold start and ask for any chain/tensioner history. Pre-facelift diesel buyers should also budget for EGR valve and DPF attention if the car has mostly done short urban trips, while manual pre-facelift 1.4 Turbo petrol cars are known for premature clutch and dual-mass flywheel wear. For the best balance of reliability and remaining life, target a 2020-2021 post-facelift example, which arrives after the range's four safety recalls and largely uses newer 1.2-litre turbo petrol or 1.5-litre diesel engines and a Multimedia Navi Pro infotainment system in place of the earlier units, sidestepping most of the specific issues above; the earliest 2016-2017 cars carry the highest risk of the old engines' teething problems and warrant the most cautious inspection.

What goes wrong

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.
EGR valve and DPF clogging (1.6 CDTi diesel)major
Engine warning light, reduced power or 'limp mode', rough idle, and DPF warning lights. Caused by soot building up in the EGR valve, which in turn accelerates clogging of the diesel particulate filter — especially on cars used mainly for short, low-speed journeys that never let the DPF regenerate properly.
2015-2018 (1.6 CDTi diesel) · Can occur at almost any mileage on a car used mostly for short urban trips, but is most commonly flagged from around 40,000 miles onward on cars without regular motorway or dual-carriageway use. · Around £150-£400 to clean or replace the EGR valve; £700-£1,500+ for a replacement DPF if the filter itself has been allowed to block
Check: Check the dashboard for any current or recently-cleared DPF or engine warning lights, ask about the car's typical journey type, and look through the service history for any EGR- or DPF-related work.

Typical asking price:: 2015–2016 1.4/1.6 CDTi: £5,000–£7,500 | 2017–2019 1.0/1.2 Turbo: £7,500–£11,500 | 2020–2021 facelift SRi/Elite Nav: £11,000–£15,500
Real-world 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. Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).
Best years:: 2020, 2021
Years to avoid:: 2016, 2017

Full Astra fault guide Used Vauxhalls

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 a sub-£10k 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, on the evidence. Their first-time MOT pass rates sit 0.8 of a percentage point apart once each is compared against the national rate for cars of the same age, which is inside the noise. Pick on the specific faults each is prone to instead.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Ford Focus?

74.7% of Ford Focuss pass their MOT first time, from 93,066 tests in DVSA's records. The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of this model's age average 74.8% — so it runs 0.1 points worse than its age group.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Vauxhall Astra?

72.5% of Vauxhall Astras pass their MOT first time, from 62,313 tests. Against the 73.4% that cars of its age average, it runs 0.9 points worse.

Which years should I avoid?

For the Ford Focus, Early Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost wet-belt failures were catastrophic when they occurred — £4,000+ engine rebuild on a £15k car. For the Vauxhall Astra, The earliest 2016-2017 cars were among the first off the production line for this generation and were the ones caught by the December 2016 airbag recall; they also 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.

Which is cheaper to run?

The Ford Focus returns 44–51 mpg real-world for 1.0 EcoBoost 125PS in real UK driving; the Vauxhall Astra returns 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: Focus — £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates).; Astra — £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025. Cars registered 2001–2017 pay a CO2 band, 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: 2026-08-14 / 2026-08-30.