2020 Jeep Compass — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Jeep Compass passed 89.2% of its 5,426 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.0 percentage points worse than mid-size SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 8.8%. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.8%) and visibility (3.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, tread depth and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 192 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.6% versus 8.6%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 10.6% of the time against 11.8% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.8% | 313 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.9% | 210 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 154 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.5% | 83 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.0% | 56 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 46 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 192 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 186 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 98 |
| 4 | Washers | 62 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 54 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 39 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 26.1% | 1,418 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.4% | 671 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.7% | 420 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.9% | 209 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 179 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 120 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 3,030 | 8.6% |
| 30-60k | 2,173 | 13.2% |
| 60-90k | 204 | 17.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,358 | 10.6% |
| Diesel | 1,068 | 11.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 56 | 12.5% |
| 2023 | 1,775 | 9.8% |
| 2024 | 1,739 | 10.5% |
| 2025 | 1,852 | 12.1% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Compass
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.8% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.8% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (3.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (2.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2020 Jeep Compasss pass their MOT?
89.2% of the 5,426 2020 Jeep Compass MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Jeep Compass?
Tyres, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by visibility (3.9%).
Does the 2020 Compass get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.6% in the 0-30k band to 17.6% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,426 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.