SsangYong Musso MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 29 model years and 12,642 tests, the SsangYong Musso passes its MOT 74.8% of the time. Against all cars of a similar age (10.8% fail rate), the Musso comes out 14.4pp worse. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
Best and worst Musso years
Ranked across Musso years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 78.8% of 2020 examples pass against 71.7% of 2017 ones.
One area stands out: brakes, recorded in 15.1% of tests against 11.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), parking brake performance and coil spring — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 1,081 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 26.6% once past 150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 24.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.2% in 2021 to 24.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Musso model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 55 | 69.1% | 30.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 58 | 74.1% | 25.9% | Brakes |
| 2005 | 47 | 83.0% | 17.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 583 | 69.1% | 30.9% | Brakes |
| 2017 | 2,064 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Brakes |
| 2018 | 2,838 | 73.6% | 26.4% | Brakes |
| 2019 | 2,865 | 75.2% | 24.8% | Brakes |
| 2020 | 1,456 | 78.8% | 21.1% | Brakes |
| 2021 | 1,375 | 76.7% | 23.3% | Brakes |
| 2022 | 1,172 | 77.3% | 22.7% | Brakes |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 15.1% | 1,905 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.3% | 1,425 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.1% | 1,027 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.6% | 454 |
| 5 | Steering | 3.5% | 446 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.2% | 404 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 169 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 165 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 1,081 |
| 2 | Parking brake performance | 902 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 715 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 584 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 458 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 449 |
| 7 | Headlamp aim | 443 |
| 8 | Wipers | 370 |
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 | 24.0% | 3,035 |
| 2 | Tyres | 17.0% | 2,147 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.2% | 1,548 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 886 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.3% | 797 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.8% | 603 |
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 | 3,200 | 17.9% |
| 30-60k | 5,059 | 26.0% |
| 60-90k | 2,734 | 29.4% |
| 90-120k | 1,083 | 30.8% |
| 120-150k | 379 | 29.8% |
| 150k+ | 173 | 26.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 12,601 | 25.2% |
| Petrol | 40 | 25.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,206 | 27.2% |
| 2022 | 1,877 | 24.9% |
| 2023 | 2,382 | 26.2% |
| 2024 | 3,013 | 24.9% |
| 2025 | 4,164 | 24.5% |
What to check before buying a SsangYong Musso
- Brakes (15.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.1% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the SsangYong Musso?
74.8% of the 12,642 SsangYong Musso MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 25.2% fail rate, across model years 1995–2023.
What does the SsangYong Musso most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 15.1% of tests, then lighting & signalling (11.3%).
Which Musso years are best and worst for MOT results?
2020 has the best pass rate at 78.8% and 2017 the weakest at 71.7%, from 1,456 and 2,064 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Musso MOT results?
Fail rates run at 17.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 26.6% for 150k+, a 8.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,642 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.