Ford THUNDERBIRD

251 on UK roads in 2025+2 vs 2024

On the road

251

251 licensed

Change vs 2024

+0.8%

+2 cars

New in 2025

first-time registrations

Electrified

hybrid, plug-in & battery

The Ford THUNDERBIRD is a rare sight on UK roads, with 251 licensed in 2025 - up 0.8% on 2024. 7 were registered new in 2025. The fleet is overwhelmingly petrol (100%), with most in the Over 3.0L class. Most date from the 2005-2009 era.

How many are left?

Licensed Ford THUNDERBIRD cars on the road over time

New registrations

First-time registrations per year

What the typical Ford THUNDERBIRD looks like

Fuel, engine size and age across every Ford THUNDERBIRD on the road today.

Fuel mix

Current split

251total

Petrol99.6%
Diesel0.4%

Engine size

Cars on the road by engine capacity

Under 1.0L5
1.0-1.6L1
1.6-2.0L1
2.0-3.0L2
Over 3.0L242

How old are they?

Share of cars by the year they were first registered

2005-2009100%

MOT & reliability

2025 MOT data

How a Ford Thunderbird holds up at its MOT and how it's driven - from 55 tests, tracked across 2022-2025.

First-time pass rate

Average for its class

88.5%

55 MOT tests in 2025 · 52 first-time

Pass rate over time

2022

88.3%

2023

85.1%

2024

86.2%

2025

88.5%

▲ 0.2 pts since 2022

Pass rate by age

First-time pass rate by the car's age (tested in 2025)

How a Ford Thunderbird is driven

tracked across 2022-25

How much it's driven

miles a year, from 65 cars tracked across years

828miles a year · low use

98.5%

low · <5k

1.5%

avg · 5-15k

high · 15k+

Most cover 188-880 miles a year (median 539).

Miles driven by age

Yearly mileage as the car ages

Driven most when newer, easing as it gets older.

Mileage & condition

Typical mileage at test

Odometer when tested (2025)

46,976

7,367middle 50%: 21,448-71,13493,353

Typical odometer rising: 47,513 → 52,402 → 52,035 → 46,976

Holds up by mileage

Pass rate as the odometer climbs

Under 40k

85.2%

40-80k

92.9%

80-120k

90.9%

Petrol vs diesel

First-time pass rate by fuel

Not enough data.

A 2025 Ford Thunderbird passes first time 88.5% of the time - above the 77.6% UK average. The typical one is driven about 828 miles a year, and reliability is mostly about miles: 85.2% of low-mileage cars pass versus 90.9% past 120k.

Why a THUNDERBIRD fails its MOT

2025 MOT data

Of 6 first-time fails, here's what gets flagged most. Most cars fail on more than one item, so shares add up past 100%.

Where a THUNDERBIRD fails

Share of failed tests, by area

Suspension50%

Visibility33.3%

Brakes33.3%

Lamps & electrical33.3%

Top specific defects

Exact items most often recorded as the reason a car failed

A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc3

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen2

Warning device shows system malfunction2

An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning2

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened1

0% flagged dangerous·2.5 defects per fail·6 fails analysed

Ford THUNDERBIRD - frequently asked

How many Ford THUNDERBIRD are left in the UK?

There are 251 Ford THUNDERBIRD cars still licensed on UK roads in 2025, up 0.8% on 2024.

How many new Ford THUNDERBIRD were registered in 2025?

7 brand-new Ford THUNDERBIRD cars were first registered in 2025.

What fuel does the typical Ford THUNDERBIRD use?

Most are petrol - about 100% of all Ford THUNDERBIRD on the road, with the majority in the Over 3.0L engine class. In total, 0% are electrified (hybrid, plug-in or battery).

How old is the typical Ford THUNDERBIRD?

Most Ford THUNDERBIRD cars on the road today date from the 2005-2009 era.

How reliable is the Ford THUNDERBIRD?

88.5% of Ford THUNDERBIRD cars pass their MOT first time, compared with a UK average of 77.6% across all cars. The typical tested Ford THUNDERBIRD has around 38,876 miles on the clock.

Buying a Ford THUNDERBIRD?

Before you buy a specific Ford THUNDERBIRD, run its registration through AnalyzeMyCar for MOT history, mileage checks, service history and valuation.

Check a car

What the typical Ford THUNDERBIRD looks like

Fuel, engine size and age across every Ford THUNDERBIRD on the road today.

Fuel mix

Current split

251total

Petrol99.6%
Diesel0.4%

Engine size

Cars on the road by engine capacity

Under 1.0L5
1.0-1.6L1
1.6-2.0L1
2.0-3.0L2
Over 3.0L242

How old are they?

Share of cars by the year they were first registered

2005-2009100%

MOT & reliability

2025 MOT data

How a Ford Thunderbird holds up at its MOT and how it's driven - from 55 tests, tracked across 2022-2025.

First-time pass rate

Average for its class

88.5%

55 MOT tests in 2025 · 52 first-time

Pass rate over time

2022

88.3%

2023

85.1%

2024

86.2%

2025

88.5%

▲ 0.2 pts since 2022

Pass rate by age

First-time pass rate by the car's age (tested in 2025)

How a Ford Thunderbird is driven

tracked across 2022-25

How much it's driven

miles a year, from 65 cars tracked across years

828miles a year · low use

98.5%

low · <5k

1.5%

avg · 5-15k

high · 15k+

Most cover 188-880 miles a year (median 539).

Miles driven by age

Yearly mileage as the car ages

Driven most when newer, easing as it gets older.

Mileage & condition

Typical mileage at test

Odometer when tested (2025)

46,976

7,367middle 50%: 21,448-71,13493,353

Typical odometer rising: 47,513 → 52,402 → 52,035 → 46,976

Holds up by mileage

Pass rate as the odometer climbs

Under 40k

85.2%

40-80k

92.9%

80-120k

90.9%

Petrol vs diesel

First-time pass rate by fuel

Not enough data.

Why a THUNDERBIRD fails its MOT

2025 MOT data

Of 6 first-time fails, here's what gets flagged most. Most cars fail on more than one item, so shares add up past 100%.

Where a THUNDERBIRD fails

Share of failed tests, by area

Suspension50%

Visibility33.3%

Brakes33.3%

Lamps & electrical33.3%

Top specific defects

Exact items most often recorded as the reason a car failed

A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc3

Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen2

Warning device shows system malfunction2

An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning2

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened1

0% flagged dangerous·2.5 defects per fail·6 fails analysed

Ford THUNDERBIRD - frequently asked

How many Ford THUNDERBIRD are left in the UK?

There are 251 Ford THUNDERBIRD cars still licensed on UK roads in 2025, up 0.8% on 2024.

How many new Ford THUNDERBIRD were registered in 2025?

7 brand-new Ford THUNDERBIRD cars were first registered in 2025.

What fuel does the typical Ford THUNDERBIRD use?

Most are petrol - about 100% of all Ford THUNDERBIRD on the road, with the majority in the Over 3.0L engine class. In total, 0% are electrified (hybrid, plug-in or battery).

How old is the typical Ford THUNDERBIRD?

Most Ford THUNDERBIRD cars on the road today date from the 2005-2009 era.

How reliable is the Ford THUNDERBIRD?

88.5% of Ford THUNDERBIRD cars pass their MOT first time, compared with a UK average of 77.6% across all cars. The typical tested Ford THUNDERBIRD has around 38,876 miles on the clock.

Buying a Ford THUNDERBIRD?

Before you buy a specific Ford THUNDERBIRD, run its registration through AnalyzeMyCar for MOT history, mileage checks, service history and valuation.

Check a car