SsangYong Rodius MOT pass rate & common failures
17,971 MOT tests on the SsangYong Rodius (2005–2020) give it a 75.1% pass rate. That is 9.5 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 15.3%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Rodius years
Ranked across Rodius 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
The strongest year on this record is 2018 (79.9% pass rate); the weakest is 2014 (72.6%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 15.2% of all tests — 6.2 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, position lamp and headlamp aim — track rod end alone was recorded 1,158 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.7% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 26.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 23.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Rodius model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 102 | 62.7% | 37.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 185 | 64.9% | 35.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 324 | 65.7% | 34.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 228 | 68.0% | 32.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 463 | 68.5% | 31.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 154 | 72.1% | 27.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 82 | 72.0% | 28.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 411 | 66.2% | 33.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 755 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 1,502 | 72.6% | 27.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 2,550 | 73.5% | 26.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 3,885 | 75.7% | 24.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 3,977 | 77.3% | 22.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 3,054 | 79.9% | 20.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 293 | 79.9% | 20.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.2% | 2,731 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.0% | 1,626 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.7% | 1,387 |
| 4 | Steering | 6.0% | 1,082 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.7% | 1,022 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.4% | 786 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.2% | 583 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.1% | 381 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 1,158 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 1,046 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 700 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 677 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 643 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 630 |
| 7 | Wipers | 619 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 611 |
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 | 26.3% | 4,721 |
| 2 | Tyres | 23.9% | 4,290 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.7% | 2,285 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.9% | 2,137 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 9.0% | 1,613 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.7% | 1,207 |
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 | 2,114 | 13.5% |
| 30-60k | 6,612 | 22.6% |
| 60-90k | 5,482 | 28.8% |
| 90-120k | 2,270 | 30.2% |
| 120-150k | 863 | 31.5% |
| 150k+ | 623 | 24.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,842 | 23.4% |
| 2022 | 3,760 | 24.1% |
| 2023 | 3,642 | 25.0% |
| 2024 | 3,452 | 25.7% |
| 2025 | 3,275 | 26.6% |
What to check before buying a SsangYong Rodius
- Lighting & signalling (15.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.0% 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.
- Suspension (7.7% 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 Rodius?
75.1% of the 17,971 SsangYong Rodius MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 24.9% fail rate, across model years 2005–2020.
What does the SsangYong Rodius most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.2% of tests, then brakes (9.0%).
Which Rodius years are best and worst for MOT results?
2018 has the best pass rate at 79.9% and 2014 the weakest at 72.6%, from 3,054 and 1,502 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Rodius MOT results?
Fail rates run at 13.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 24.7% for 150k+, a 11.2-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 17,971 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.