2015 SsangYong Tivoli — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 5,971 MOT tests, the 2015 SsangYong Tivoli recorded an 80.5% pass rate. Against small SUVs of a similar age (16.4% fail rate), the 2015 Tivoli comes out 3.0pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.9%) and tyres (8.7%) 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), tread depth and brake pads — registration plate lamp(s) alone was recorded 470 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.2% once past 120-150k — 2.5× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 18.8% fail against 21.3% for diesel, a 2.5-point gap across 5,966 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 27.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 15.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 652 |
| 2 | Tyres | 8.7% | 517 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.8% | 406 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.6% | 334 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.2% | 190 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 97 |
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) | 470 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 236 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 221 |
| 4 | Washers | 201 |
| 5 | Wipers | 200 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 191 |
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 | 27.3% | 1,632 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.8% | 1,538 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 13.7% | 820 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.6% | 515 |
| 5 | Suspension | 7.5% | 450 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 228 |
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 | 827 | 10.8% |
| 30-60k | 2,941 | 18.2% |
| 60-90k | 1,613 | 23.6% |
| 90-120k | 482 | 27.0% |
| 120-150k | 92 | 27.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,376 | 18.8% |
| Diesel | 1,590 | 21.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,147 | 15.0% |
| 2022 | 1,176 | 17.0% |
| 2023 | 1,227 | 20.6% |
| 2024 | 1,225 | 23.2% |
| 2025 | 1,196 | 21.1% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Tivoli
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (8.7% 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.
- Brakes (6.8% 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.
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 2015 SsangYong Tivolis pass their MOT?
80.5% of the 5,971 2015 SsangYong Tivoli MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 SsangYong Tivoli?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.9% of tests, followed by tyres (8.7%).
Does the 2015 Tivoli get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.8% in the 0-30k band to 27.2% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,971 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.