Used Ford Ka+ 2016-2020 reliability
Category: City car
The Ford Ka+ is good to drive and has plenty of room for four adults, but the Dacia Sandero has a bigger boot and is available new for less money
What should I look for in a used Ford Ka+ hatchback?
The car will have been used in tight urban areas mostly, so check the bodywork for scuffs and make sure those seats slide and fold as they should. Check interior plastics for any permanent scratches.
Reported mechanical problems with the Ka+ are few, so far, and the car is based on proven and tough – if slightly unrefined – Ford oily bits.
What are the most common problems with a used Ford Ka+ hatchback?
Chafed battery wiring
A problem exists where the wiring for the battery monitoring system can be chafed on some examples made between 8 September 2017 and 15 May 2019. Find out if your car is a part of this recall by speaking with a Ford dealer because examples affected by this will need to be inspected by a technician and replaced if necessary.
Is a used Ford Ka+ hatchback reliable?
The Ford Ka+ didn't feature in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey data, but its sibling, the Ford Fiesta, did. the two share a number of similarities under the skin, so we've reproduced the Fiesta's results here.
Unfortunately, the Fiesta finished in 12th place out of 19 cars in the small car class of our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, albeit with a reasonably good overall score of 94.9%. It finished above the Audi A1, Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo, but below the Honda Jazz, Mini and Toyota Yaris.
Ford as a brand finished in 17th place out of 32 car brands in the same survey, with a score of 91.4%. That placed it above Audi, Mercedes and Volkswagen but below Honda, Kia and Skoda.
If you would like to see the full reliability list for small cars, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.
Used Ford Fiesta reliability: the owners' view
Our readers expressed mixed feelings about the reliability of the Ford Fiesta and their experiences with dealer service. A noticeable number of respondents reported issues related to warning lights and unexpected noises, which sometimes led to repeated dealership visits. Despite these problems, a significant portion of Fiesta owners found the car generally reliable for daily use. However, feedback on dealer service was varied, with some praising the professionalism and promptness of repairs, while others described experiences as frustrating, citing costly repairs and delays in service. Interestingly, the dealership's ability to communicate and resolve issues played a crucial role in shaping overall satisfaction. It seems that while the Fiesta has a reasonable reliability record, the quality of dealer service significantly impacts owner contentment.
If you'd like to see the full reliability list, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.