2020 SsangYong Korando — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 SsangYong Korando passed 85.9% of its 1,098 recorded MOT tests. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (8.7% fail rate), the 2020 Korando comes out 5.4pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.5%) and brakes (6.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are registration plate lamp(s), wipers and brake pads — registration plate lamp(s) alone was recorded 43 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 13.6% versus 8.2%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.8% of tests failed in 2023 against 17.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 82 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.0% | 66 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.5% | 49 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.0% | 44 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 29 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 8 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 43 |
| 2 | Wipers | 39 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 35 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 33 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 28 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 26 |
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 | 20.9% | 229 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.9% | 208 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.5% | 82 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 6.0% | 66 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 24 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 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 | 574 | 8.2% |
| 30-60k | 424 | 20.3% |
| 60-90k | 44 | 13.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 343 | 10.8% |
| 2024 | 352 | 13.1% |
| 2025 | 368 | 17.9% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Korando
On a 2020 Korando, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (7.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.0% 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 (4.5% 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.
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 SsangYong Korandos pass their MOT?
85.9% of the 1,098 2020 SsangYong Korando MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 SsangYong Korando?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.5% of tests, followed by brakes (6.0%).
Does the 2020 Korando get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.2% in the 0-30k band to 13.6% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,098 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.