Used car guide

2020 Ford Focus ST-Line X Edition Mhev: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2020 Ford Focus ST-Line X Edition Mhevs, from 1,467 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,467MOT tests in 2025
88%pass first time (all 2020 cars: 86%)
7,400typical miles a year
4.7×the usual rate for track rod ends

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2020 Ford Focus ST-Line X Edition Mhevs than on all cars registered in 2020.

  • Track rod ends4.7× usual
    Ford Focus ST-Line X Edition Mhev
    3.3% All 2020 cars
    0.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.2% of all 2020 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

By area

The share of 2020 Ford Focus ST-Line X Edition Mhev MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    29% 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
    19% 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.

  • Suspension
    5% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    4% 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.

Known faults

Reported by owners, mechanics and buying guides for this model and age. Check which engine the car has, as some apply to one engine only.

  • Timing belt that runs in oil (1.0 EcoBoost)
    1.0 EcoBoost petrol

    The 1.0 EcoBoost’s timing belt sits in the engine oil. Missed or wrong-spec oil changes can make it break down and block the oil pickup, which can wreck the engine.

    At the viewing: Ask for a full service history with regular oil changes, and whether the timing belt has been changed when due.

    If it needs doing: Timing belt (cambelt) change, about £300–£700 (often with the water pump). ClickMechanic

    Source: Bumper: Ford Fiesta reliability guide

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2022564Tyres 28%
20212,860Tyres 31%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2020 Ford Focus ST-Line X Edition Mhevs registered in 2020. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score