2016 Ford Fiesta 1.5L Diesel · RF66 FMM

The most recent DVSA examination dated 11 November 2025 returned a Pass with no advisories or defects recorded, suggesting that the vehicle was presented in sound mechanical condition at the time of test. Reviewing the broader five-year MOT history, the maintenance trend appears generally stable with intermittent advisories rather than a pattern of deterioration. The 2024 test recorded advisory notices for wear to both rear suspension arm pins or bushes, and earlier examinations noted tyres approaching the legal tread limit. The fact that the 2025 test was entirely clean indicates that either remedial work was carried out on the previously flagged suspension components or that the wear had not progressed to the point of failure. There is no evidence of recurring exhaust, brake, or structural advisories across the recorded period, which is reassuring for a ten-year-old supermini. The recorded mileage of 66,130 miles over a ten-year lifecycle equates to an average annual utilisation of approximately 6,613 miles, which broadly corresponds to typical private use for a vehicle of this class and age. The MOT records demonstrate consistent yearly testing from 2019 onwards with no substantial gaps that might suggest prolonged periods of standing or, conversely, unusually rapid mileage accumulation between examinations. This steady, moderate usage profile is generally favourable for long-term mechanical health, as it tends to avoid both the corrosion and fluid degradation associated with disuse and the accelerated wear of high-mileage operation. Nonetheless, given the vehicle's age, calendar-based degradation of components is a relevant consideration regardless of the relatively modest distance covered. For a prospective buyer, the primary area warranting close physical inspection is the rear suspension, given the advisories recorded in 2024. The rear suspension arm pin or bush wear referenced in the DVSA record typically affects the trailing arm or axle beam mounting bushes, and these components can progress to cause perceptible clonking or knocking over speed humps, uneven rear tyre wear, and a general loss of rear axle localisation. On a test drive, listen carefully for any rear suspension noise over uneven surfaces, particularly when traversing bumps at low speed, and inspect the inner and outer shoulders of both rear tyres for uneven tread wear patterns that might indicate compromised bush integrity. The nearside rear tyre advisory from 2022 also suggests a historical tendency towards edge wear, which may point to alignment geometry, camber issues, or persistent bush wear. Beyond the flagged advisories, a vehicle of this age and mileage warrants a series of precautionary checks irrespective of its clean MOT history. The 2016 Ford Fiesta is now approaching a decade old, so close attention should be paid to tyre sidewalls for perishing or cracking caused by age-related rubber degradation, even where tread depth remains adequate. Brake discs, particularly the rear drums or discs if equipped, may exhibit corrosion or binding calipers from occasional short-trip use, so a rolling brake test should confirm smooth operation without pulling or juddering. The 12V battery should be load-tested, as units of this age frequently fail without warning, and the cooling system, brake fluid, and engine oil should be checked for evidence of recent servicing and time-appropriate replacement, given that brake fluid in particular degrades on a calendar basis irrespective of mileage. A compression check or listening for timing chain noise on cold start would also be prudent for the small-capacity petrol engines commonly fitted to this model.