2020 Ford Focus 1.5L Diesel · EO70 YSJ

The 2020 Ford Focus presents a solid roadworthiness profile with an improving maintenance trend leading into its most recent test. In the August 2025 MOT at 26,572 miles, the vehicle passed but the tester flagged both front inner tyres worn close to legal limits and on the edge, indicating uneven wear likely from misalignment or suspension geometry drift. A nearside rear child seat also prevented full inspection of the adult seatbelt, which is an administrative limitation rather than a mechanical defect. Two clean passes in 2023 and 2024 with zero defects show the car was well maintained through its earlier life, and the return of tyre wear advisories in 2025 suggests a minor lapse in wheel alignment checks or tyre rotation rather than any serious mechanical deterioration. The mileage pattern tells a story of very low annual use. Between August 2023 at 13,571 miles and August 2024 at 19,182 miles, the car covered 5,611 miles in a single year, a notable spike compared to the 5,611 miles accumulated over the prior two and a half years. From August 2024 to August 2025, the odometer recorded zero additional miles, meaning the vehicle likely sat stationary for a full year. This stop-start usage pattern is critical. Extended periods of standing can cause flat-spotting on tyres, moisture accumulation in brake fluid and the exhaust system, and localised corrosion on brake discs and suspension components that would not appear on a standard MOT but matters for long-term structural integrity. A buyer should inspect the front suspension geometry carefully. The inner edge wear on both front tyres flagged in the 2025 test points to excessive toe-in or worn suspension bushes and track rod ends, components that degrade faster on low-mileage vehicles subjected to repeated short trips and kerb impacts than on those doing steady motorway work. The rear seatbelt inspection limitation from the child seat also means no tester has verified the belt mechanism's retraction and locking function in that position since the car was new, so a manual pull-and-release check is warranted. Beyond the flagged items, focus on the underside. A car that has stood for a full year at 26,572 miles will have brake discs with surface corrosion, potentially dried-out door seals, and rubber bushings that may have perished from lack of use rather than wear. Check the exhaust for signs of internal moisture corrosion, inspect all brake flexible hoses for cracking, and verify the operation of the parking brake linkage, which can seize on vehicles with extended idle periods. The MOT record is clean in structural terms, but the usage pattern demands a more thorough physical inspection than the paperwork alone would suggest.