2010 Ford Kuga 2.0L Diesel · ML60 XNP

A clear pattern of suspension, brake and tyre wear has emerged across this Kuga's later MOT history, with the most recent assessment on 29 May 2026 initially failing before being re-presented and passing the same day. The failure itself was relatively minor, citing a non-functional nearside rear registration plate lamp and a blocked nearside front windscreen washer jet, but the advisories recorded alongside both the pass and the failure tell a more telling story. The front brake pads are noted as wearing thin across an axle set, the rear brake pads are showing wear, and crucially the rear suspension arm pin or bush on both trailing arms is recorded as worn though not yet resulting in excessive movement. Two prior years, 2022 and 2024, also produced failures rather than clean passes, with the 2024 test flagging a dangerous nearside rear tyre below the 1.6mm tread limit and an offside rear tyre close to the legal edge, while the 2022 test recorded a missing offside front steering rack gaiter and another registration plate lamp defect. Taken together, the trajectory shows a vehicle that has remained roadworthy but with progressively more component-level wear being flagged as mileage accumulates. The recorded mileage of 161,571 against a 2010 registration equates to roughly 10,100 miles per year over a sixteen-year life, which sits broadly in line with average usage for a car of this age. The annual test entries show mileage increments consistent with regular driving, with no obvious long stationary gaps that would suggest extended lay-up periods or the kind of low-mileage component degradation that comes from infrequent use. The Kuga appears to have been in continuous service, and at this annual rate the wear patterns visible in the advisories are predictable for a vehicle that has covered its fair share of motorway and urban mileage. The clustering of brake, tyre and suspension advisories in the most recent tests reflects the natural consequence of accumulated mileage on consumable and chassis components rather than any anomaly in how the vehicle has been used. For a prospective buyer, the rear suspension trailing arm bushes flagged on both sides in the 2026 test deserve particular physical scrutiny. On a test drive, listen for clonking or knocking noises from the rear over speed humps, uneven road surfaces and when cornering, and have a second person observe the rear wheels while the car is rocked fore and aft to check for visible play in the trailing arms. The front brake pads being thin across the axle set means a thorough inspection of pad material thickness and disc condition is essential, and the rear brake pads should be measured as well, since both were flagged simultaneously. Any pulling to one side under braking, a soft or spongy pedal, or visible lipping on the disc edges would warrant further investigation. The earlier failure regarding the offside front steering rack gaiter also warrants a check under the bonnet for any fresh grease contamination around the rack ends or signs that the gaiter has been replaced with a non-OE item that may not seal as effectively. The tyre-related advisories across 2024 and 2026, including the dangerous tread depth finding on the nearside rear and the worn edge on the offside front, suggest the Kuga may be prone to uneven tyre wear, potentially indicating alignment or suspension geometry issues. On a test drive, check for steering pull to one side, uneven steering effort, or a steering wheel that sits off-centre, all of which would point to geometry concerns beyond simple camber or toe wear. Inspect all four tyres closely for inner-edge wear in particular, as this is often where misalignment symptoms present first on front-wheel-drive platforms. The repeated registration plate lamp failures and minor defects are not mechanically significant but do suggest some attention to detail on electrical items may be lacking, so a general walk-around with all lights activated is worthwhile. Beyond these specific items, listen for any diesel or oil smoke on start-up, check for coolant leaks around the radiator and water pump area, and inspect the underside for corrosion on subframe and suspension mounting points, given the age and mileage of the vehicle.