2018 SsangYong Tivoli — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 SsangYong Tivoli passed 84.5% of its 6,282 recorded MOT tests. That is 5.6 percentage points worse than small SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 9.9%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (7.3%) and lighting & signalling (6.6%) 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), brake pads and wipers — registration plate lamp(s) alone was recorded 298 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.2% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.7pp more often than petrol ones (17.1% vs 13.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 23.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.3% | 458 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 413 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.0% | 376 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.8% | 301 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 85 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.2% | 76 |
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) | 298 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 238 |
| 3 | Wipers | 232 |
| 4 | Washers | 132 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 122 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 91 |
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 | 23.3% | 1,463 |
| 2 | Tyres | 21.1% | 1,328 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.4% | 467 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.9% | 368 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 195 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 2.4% | 151 |
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 | 2,881 | 11.1% |
| 30-60k | 2,566 | 17.9% |
| 60-90k | 649 | 23.4% |
| 90-120k | 122 | 23.8% |
| 120-150k | 31 | 16.1% |
| 150k+ | 33 | 18.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,581 | 17.1% |
| Petrol | 2,701 | 13.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,235 | 12.3% |
| 2022 | 1,228 | 12.4% |
| 2023 | 1,255 | 15.5% |
| 2024 | 1,266 | 17.8% |
| 2025 | 1,298 | 19.2% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Tivoli
On a 2018 Tivoli, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (7.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.0% 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.
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 2018 SsangYong Tivolis pass their MOT?
84.5% of the 6,282 2018 SsangYong Tivoli MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 SsangYong Tivoli?
Tyres, recorded in 7.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.6%).
Does the 2018 Tivoli get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.1% in the 0-30k band to 18.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,282 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.