Used car guide

2021 Ford Ecosport: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2021 Ford Ecosports, from 4,586 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

4,586MOT tests in 2025
87%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
5,800typical miles a year
1.7×the usual rate for tyre condition

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2021 Ford Ecosports than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Tyre condition1.7× usual
    Ford Ecosport
    20% All 2021 cars
    11.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.6%, against 3.5% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges. Uneven wear can point to tracking or suspension problems.

  • Braking performance3.3× usual
    Ford Ecosport
    2.6% All 2021 cars
    0.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.3%, against 0.2% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

Better than most

Brake discs: 1.9% here, against 7.1% of all 2021 cars.

By area

The share of 2021 Ford Ecosport MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    28% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    11% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    5% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    3% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Suspension
    1% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

Looking at a Ford Ecosport?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2023622Tyres 27%
20228,798Tyres 24%
20208,859Tyres 31%
201924,691Tyres 31%
201822,486Tyres 31%
201713,156Tyres 29%
201614,041Suspension 37%
201510,269Suspension 44%
20142,452Suspension 50%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2021 Ford Ecosports registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score