2020 SsangYong Musso — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,456 MOT tests, the 2020 SsangYong Musso recorded a 78.8% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 9.3% of the time, so this is 11.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (12.6%) and lighting & signalling (9.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), parking brake performance and brake pads — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 92 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.6% versus 16.0%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 25.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 20.3% of tests failed in 2023 against 24.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 12.6% | 183 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.7% | 141 |
| 3 | Tyres | 3.3% | 48 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.2% | 47 |
| 5 | Steering | 3.2% | 46 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.1% | 45 |
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) | 92 |
| 2 | Parking brake performance | 87 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 69 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 52 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 51 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 45 |
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 | 25.1% | 366 |
| 2 | Tyres | 16.9% | 246 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.1% | 147 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 5.6% | 82 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.7% | 69 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.3% | 63 |
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 | 437 | 16.0% |
| 30-60k | 534 | 20.6% |
| 60-90k | 270 | 25.6% |
| 90-120k | 136 | 28.7% |
| 120-150k | 41 | 21.9% |
| 150k+ | 36 | 30.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 454 | 20.3% |
| 2024 | 471 | 20.2% |
| 2025 | 491 | 24.0% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Musso
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 12.6% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (12.6% 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 (9.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.3% 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 SsangYong Mussos pass their MOT?
78.8% of the 1,456 2020 SsangYong Musso MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 SsangYong Musso?
Brakes, recorded in 12.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.7%).
Does the 2020 Musso get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.0% in the 0-30k band to 30.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,456 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.