2021 SsangYong Tivoli Ultimate T — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 SsangYong Tivoli Ultimate T passed 89.0% of its 662 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 8.7% of the time, so this is 2.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in visibility, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (6.2%) and lighting & signalling (4.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 49 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 6.2% | 41 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.7% | 31 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.5% | 30 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.1% | 14 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.3% | 2 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.3% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 49 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 18 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 14 |
| 4 | Individual direction indicators | 7 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 6 |
| 6 | Reversing lamps | 5 |
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 | 23.3% | 154 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.5% | 96 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.1% | 47 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 25 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 17 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.1% | 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 | 482 | 9.5% |
| 30-60k | 167 | 15.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 318 | 11.0% |
| 2025 | 342 | 11.1% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Tivoli Ultimate T
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: visibility accounted for 6.2% of tests. Start there.
- Visibility (6.2% 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 (4.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.5% 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 2021 SsangYong Tivoli Ultimate Ts pass their MOT?
89.0% of the 662 2021 SsangYong Tivoli Ultimate T MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 SsangYong Tivoli Ultimate T?
Visibility, recorded in 6.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.7%).
Does the 2021 Tivoli Ultimate T get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.5% in the 0-30k band to 15.0% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 662 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.