2020 Mitsubishi Mirage — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,581 MOT tests, the 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage recorded a 91.4% pass rate. That is effectively the same as superminis of a similar age (8.8% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.7%) and brakes (3.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, wipers and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 57 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.4% versus 7.8%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 58 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.5% | 56 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.4% | 53 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.4% | 53 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.4% | 7 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 57 |
| 2 | Wipers | 50 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 32 |
| 4 | Front fog lamps | 31 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 29 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 14 |
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 | 18.4% | 291 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.0% | 206 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.1% | 65 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.9% | 62 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.1% | 18 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 15 |
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 | 1,242 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 292 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 42 | 21.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 535 | 8.2% |
| 2024 | 518 | 8.9% |
| 2025 | 510 | 9.0% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Mirage
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 3.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (3.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.5% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Tyres (3.4% 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.
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 Mitsubishi Mirages pass their MOT?
91.4% of the 1,581 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.7% of tests, followed by brakes (3.5%).
Does the 2020 Mirage get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 21.4% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,581 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.