Where in Britain does the Ford Escort fail its MOT most?
Across Britain, 27.8% of 77,294 initial MOT tests (first attempts) of the Ford Escort failed in 2019–2024. It fails most in Watford (WD): 41.7% against 27.8% elsewhere (+14.0 points). It does best in Kilmarnock (KA), −16.0 points. Area rates are not age-adjusted.
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · Ford Escort MOT statistics · check a Ford Escort by registration
Ford Escort in every postcode area with 100+ tests
From the largest excess over the rest of Britain to the largest shortfall.
| Area | Failed here, % | Rest of Britain, % | Difference, points | 95% interval | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watford (WD) | 41.7 | 27.8 | +14.0 | +7.9 to +20.0 | 254 (rough estimate) |
| Brighton (BN) | 40.4 | 27.7 | +12.7 | +9.1 to +16.3 | 735 |
| Torquay (TQ) | 40.0 | 27.7 | +12.2 | +8.1 to +16.4 | 533 |
| Portsmouth (PO) | 37.6 | 27.6 | +10.0 | +7.5 to +12.5 | 1,466 |
| Taunton (TA) | 37.8 | 27.7 | +10.0 | +6.4 to +13.6 | 694 |
| Bath (BA) | 36.9 | 27.7 | +9.1 | +5.4 to +12.9 | 637 |
| London SW (SW) | 36.6 | 27.8 | +8.8 | +2.9 to +14.8 | 254 (rough estimate) |
| Bournemouth (BH) | 36.5 | 27.7 | +8.8 | +5.7 to +11.9 | 940 |
| Plymouth (PL) | 36.3 | 27.7 | +8.5 | +5.2 to +11.9 | 800 |
| Salisbury (SP) | 36.2 | 27.8 | +8.4 | +2.6 to +14.2 | 265 (rough estimate) |
| Ipswich (IP) | 35.3 | 27.7 | +7.6 | +4.8 to +10.4 | 1,135 |
| Worcester (WR) | 35.4 | 27.8 | +7.6 | +3.4 to +11.8 | 509 |
| Truro (TR) | 35.3 | 27.8 | +7.5 | +3.2 to +11.9 | 470 (rough estimate) |
| Guildford (GU) | 34.8 | 27.7 | +7.0 | +3.8 to +10.3 | 848 |
| Exeter (EX) | 34.5 | 27.7 | +6.8 | +3.7 to +9.9 | 907 |
| Wolverhampton (WV) | 34.3 | 27.8 | +6.6 | +2.8 to +10.3 | 609 |
| Bristol (BS) | 34.0 | 27.7 | +6.3 | +3.8 to +8.8 | 1,417 |
| Dorchester (DT) | 33.8 | 27.8 | +6.0 | +0.6 to +11.3 | 302 (rough estimate) |
| Harrow (HA) | 33.8 | 27.8 | +6.0 | +0.8 to +11.1 | 323 (rough estimate) |
| Warrington (WA) | 33.5 | 27.8 | +5.8 | +2.0 to +9.5 | 617 |
| Lincoln (LN) | 33.5 | 27.8 | +5.7 | +1.5 to +9.9 | 490 (rough estimate) |
| Norwich (NR) | 33.3 | 27.7 | +5.5 | +2.9 to +8.1 | 1,278 |
| London W (W) | 32.9 | 27.8 | +5.0 | −1.4 to +11.5 | 207 (rough estimate) |
| Southampton (SO) | 32.5 | 27.8 | +4.8 | +1.6 to +8.0 | 830 |
| Kingston upon Thames (KT) | 32.2 | 27.8 | +4.4 | +0.7 to +8.1 | 606 |
| Leicester (LE) | 32.0 | 27.7 | +4.3 | +1.8 to +6.8 | 1,386 |
| Walsall (WS) | 31.9 | 27.8 | +4.2 | +1.0 to +7.3 | 864 |
| Swindon (SN) | 31.8 | 27.8 | +4.0 | +0.5 to +7.4 | 699 |
| Blackpool (FY) | 31.5 | 27.8 | +3.7 | −0.7 to +8.1 | 432 (rough estimate) |
| Cardiff (CF) | 31.4 | 27.8 | +3.6 | +0.6 to +6.6 | 918 |
| Northampton (NN) | 31.4 | 27.8 | +3.6 | +0.7 to +6.4 | 1,024 |
| Hemel Hempstead (HP) | 31.0 | 27.8 | +3.2 | −0.1 to +6.5 | 759 |
| Coventry (CV) | 30.6 | 27.8 | +2.9 | +0.1 to +5.7 | 1,051 |
| London N (N) | 30.2 | 27.8 | +2.4 | −2.0 to +6.7 | 431 (rough estimate) |
| Liverpool (L) | 29.9 | 27.8 | +2.1 | −1.3 to +5.4 | 730 |
| Medway (ME) | 29.8 | 27.8 | +2.0 | −0.6 to +4.6 | 1,201 |
| Hull (HU) | 29.6 | 27.8 | +1.8 | −2.7 to +6.3 | 399 (rough estimate) |
| Stoke-on-Trent (ST) | 29.2 | 27.8 | +1.4 | −1.8 to +4.5 | 799 |
| Colchester (CO) | 29.1 | 27.8 | +1.3 | −1.3 to +3.9 | 1,191 |
| Manchester (M) | 28.9 | 27.8 | +1.1 | −1.9 to +4.1 | 886 |
| Newport (NP) | 28.8 | 27.8 | +1.0 | −2.6 to +4.5 | 622 |
| Peterborough (PE) | 28.6 | 27.8 | +0.8 | −1.4 to +2.9 | 1,743 |
| Oxford (OX) | 28.6 | 27.8 | +0.7 | −2.6 to +4.1 | 704 |
| Bradford (BD) | 28.5 | 27.8 | +0.7 | −3.5 to +4.9 | 445 (rough estimate) |
| Stevenage (SG) | 28.4 | 27.8 | +0.6 | −3.1 to +4.3 | 570 |
| Falkirk (FK) | 28.3 | 27.8 | +0.5 | −5.8 to +6.7 | 198 (rough estimate) |
| London SE (SE) | 28.2 | 27.8 | +0.4 | −3.3 to +4.2 | 563 |
| Birmingham (B) | 28.2 | 27.8 | +0.4 | −1.6 to +2.3 | 2,137 |
| Bolton (BL) | 28.0 | 27.8 | +0.2 | −4.1 to +4.5 | 418 (rough estimate) |
| Leeds (LS) | 27.9 | 27.8 | +0.1 | −3.9 to +4.1 | 483 (rough estimate) |
| Preston (PR) | 27.9 | 27.8 | +0.1 | −3.2 to +3.4 | 716 |
| Doncaster (DN) | 27.8 | 27.8 | −0.0 | −2.8 to +2.8 | 1,014 |
| Perth (PH) | 27.6 | 27.8 | −0.2 | −7.5 to +7.0 | 145 (rough estimate) |
| Nottingham (NG) | 27.5 | 27.8 | −0.3 | −2.6 to +1.9 | 1,532 |
| Telford (TF) | 27.4 | 27.8 | −0.4 | −5.1 to +4.3 | 343 (rough estimate) |
| Dudley (DY) | 27.4 | 27.8 | −0.5 | −3.4 to +2.5 | 877 |
| Cambridge (CB) | 27.2 | 27.8 | −0.6 | −4.8 to +3.6 | 430 (rough estimate) |
| Stockport (SK) | 27.2 | 27.8 | −0.7 | −4.3 to +3.0 | 567 |
| Tonbridge (TN) | 26.9 | 27.8 | −0.9 | −3.4 to +1.5 | 1,301 |
| Luton (LU) | 26.9 | 27.8 | −0.9 | −5.6 to +3.7 | 346 (rough estimate) |
| Sutton (SM) | 26.8 | 27.8 | −1.0 | −6.2 to +4.2 | 276 (rough estimate) |
| Canterbury (CT) | 26.8 | 27.8 | −1.0 | −4.4 to +2.3 | 672 |
| Redhill (RH) | 26.7 | 27.8 | −1.2 | −4.2 to +1.9 | 829 |
| London E (E) | 26.6 | 27.8 | −1.2 | −5.3 to +2.9 | 447 (rough estimate) |
| Chelmsford (CM) | 26.6 | 27.8 | −1.3 | −3.6 to +1.1 | 1,354 |
| Southend-on-Sea (SS) | 26.6 | 27.8 | −1.3 | −3.5 to +1.0 | 1,536 |
| Romford (RM) | 26.5 | 27.8 | −1.3 | −3.9 to +1.3 | 1,123 |
| St Albans (AL) | 26.4 | 27.8 | −1.4 | −6.4 to +3.6 | 299 (rough estimate) |
| Ilford (IG) | 26.0 | 27.8 | −1.8 | −6.2 to +2.6 | 384 (rough estimate) |
| Bromley (BR) | 25.9 | 27.8 | −1.9 | −7.2 to +3.4 | 266 (rough estimate) |
| Gloucester (GL) | 25.4 | 27.9 | −2.4 | −5.1 to +0.3 | 1,045 |
| Oldham (OL) | 25.3 | 27.8 | −2.5 | −6.8 to +1.8 | 395 (rough estimate) |
| Dartford (DA) | 25.3 | 27.8 | −2.5 | −5.7 to +0.7 | 711 |
| Dundee (DD) | 25.0 | 27.8 | −2.8 | −8.1 to +2.4 | 264 (rough estimate) |
| York (YO) | 24.9 | 27.9 | −2.9 | −5.8 to +0.0 | 842 |
| Cleveland (TS) | 24.7 | 27.8 | −3.1 | −6.7 to +0.5 | 546 |
| London NW (NW) | 24.7 | 27.8 | −3.2 | −8.7 to +2.4 | 231 (rough estimate) |
| Milton Keynes (MK) | 24.6 | 27.8 | −3.2 | −6.4 to −0.0 | 706 |
| Wigan (WN) | 24.5 | 27.8 | −3.3 | −7.5 to +0.9 | 404 (rough estimate) |
| Derby (DE) | 24.4 | 27.9 | −3.4 | −6.0 to −0.9 | 1,125 |
| Paisley (PA) | 24.3 | 27.8 | −3.5 | −9.2 to +2.2 | 218 (rough estimate) |
| Wakefield (WF) | 24.3 | 27.8 | −3.6 | −6.8 to −0.3 | 671 |
| Chester (CH) | 24.1 | 27.9 | −3.7 | −7.0 to −0.4 | 667 |
| Durham (DH) | 24.1 | 27.8 | −3.8 | −8.6 to +1.1 | 299 (rough estimate) |
| Halifax (HX) | 24.0 | 27.8 | −3.8 | −11.3 to +3.7 | 125 (rough estimate) |
| Edinburgh (EH) | 23.8 | 27.8 | −4.1 | −7.7 to −0.4 | 534 |
| Huddersfield (HD) | 23.7 | 27.8 | −4.1 | −9.6 to +1.4 | 232 (rough estimate) |
| Newcastle (NE) | 23.3 | 27.9 | −4.6 | −7.5 to −1.7 | 828 |
| Sheffield (S) | 23.4 | 27.9 | −4.6 | −6.5 to −2.6 | 1,824 |
| Croydon (CR) | 23.2 | 27.9 | −4.6 | −8.1 to −1.1 | 560 |
| Blackburn (BB) | 23.1 | 27.8 | −4.8 | −8.7 to −0.8 | 446 (rough estimate) |
| Twickenham (TW) | 22.5 | 27.9 | −5.3 | −8.7 to −2.0 | 604 |
| Hereford (HR) | 22.4 | 27.8 | −5.4 | −9.7 to −1.2 | 366 (rough estimate) |
| Aberdeen (AB) | 21.8 | 27.9 | −6.1 | −9.5 to −2.6 | 546 |
| Reading (RG) | 21.5 | 27.9 | −6.4 | −8.9 to −3.9 | 1,036 |
| Kirkcaldy (KY) | 21.4 | 27.9 | −6.4 | −10.4 to −2.4 | 406 (rough estimate) |
| Enfield (EN) | 21.4 | 27.9 | −6.4 | −9.9 to −3.0 | 546 |
| Crewe (CW) | 20.7 | 27.9 | −7.2 | −10.7 to −3.6 | 512 |
| Galashiels (TD) | 20.4 | 27.8 | −7.4 | −14.3 to −0.5 | 132 (rough estimate) |
| Slough (SL) | 20.1 | 27.9 | −7.8 | −11.5 to −4.0 | 443 (rough estimate) |
| Darlington (DL) | 20.0 | 27.9 | −7.8 | −11.2 to −4.4 | 534 |
| Uxbridge (UB) | 19.9 | 27.9 | −8.0 | −12.1 to −3.9 | 367 (rough estimate) |
| Inverness (IV) | 19.4 | 27.8 | −8.5 | −13.1 to −3.8 | 279 (rough estimate) |
| Swansea (SA) | 17.8 | 28.0 | −10.2 | −12.2 to −8.2 | 1,393 |
| Lancaster (LA) | 17.6 | 27.9 | −10.2 | −13.9 to −6.6 | 414 (rough estimate) |
| Shrewsbury (SY) | 17.4 | 27.9 | −10.5 | −13.0 to −8.0 | 906 |
| Carlisle (CA) | 17.0 | 27.9 | −10.9 | −14.3 to −7.6 | 489 (rough estimate) |
| Sunderland (SR) | 16.5 | 27.9 | −11.4 | −15.6 to −7.1 | 291 (rough estimate) |
| Llandudno (LL) | 16.6 | 28.0 | −11.4 | −13.5 to −9.2 | 1,203 |
| Glasgow (G) | 16.4 | 27.9 | −11.5 | −14.7 to −8.2 | 511 |
| Harrogate (HG) | 16.0 | 27.8 | −11.8 | −17.6 to −6.1 | 156 (rough estimate) |
| Motherwell (ML) | 13.6 | 27.9 | −14.3 | −17.9 to −10.7 | 354 (rough estimate) |
| Dumfries (DG) | 11.9 | 27.9 | −15.9 | −19.9 to −12.0 | 260 (rough estimate) |
| Kilmarnock (KA) | 11.9 | 27.9 | −16.0 | −19.2 to −12.9 | 413 (rough estimate) |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 77,294 (initial tests) · Method: postcode area of the testing station against the same model's tests elsewhere in Britain, difference of two proportions with a 95% interval; named at 3+ points with the interval clear of zero; not age-adjusted · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Ford Escort 1998 · Ford Escort 1999 · Ford Escort 2000 · Ford Escort 2001 · Ford Escort 2002 · Ford Escort in the Netherlands · Ford Escort body, chassis and structure failures · Ford Escort brakes failures · Ford Escort vehicle identification failures · Ford Escort lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Ford Escort noise, emissions and leaks failures · Ford Escort road wheels failures · Ford Escort seat belts and airbags failures · Ford Escort steering failures · Ford Escort suspension failures · Ford Escort tyres failures · Ford Escort visibility failures