2021 SsangYong Korando Ultimate — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 SsangYong Korando Ultimate passed 89.2% of its 545 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (8.7% fail rate), the 2021 Korando Ultimate comes out 2.2pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (5.7%) and visibility (5.0%) 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 headlamp aim — brake pads alone was recorded 39 times.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 27.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.7% | 31 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.0% | 27 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.1% | 17 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.4% | 13 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 4 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 3 |
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 | 39 |
| 2 | Wipers | 28 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 12 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 9 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 7 |
| 6 | Washers | 4 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 27.3% | 149 |
| 2 | Tyres | 20.4% | 111 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.1% | 33 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.4% | 24 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 8 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 7 |
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 | 375 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 152 | 13.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 268 | 11.6% |
| 2025 | 271 | 10.3% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Korando Ultimate
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 5.7% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (5.7% 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.
- Visibility (5.0% 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 (3.1% 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 2021 SsangYong Korando Ultimates pass their MOT?
89.2% of the 545 2021 SsangYong Korando Ultimate MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 SsangYong Korando Ultimate?
Brakes, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by visibility (5.0%).
Does the 2021 Korando Ultimate get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 13.8% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 545 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.