2019 SsangYong Tivoli — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,307 MOT tests, the 2019 SsangYong Tivoli recorded an 87.6% pass rate. Against small SUVs of a similar age (8.8% fail rate), the 2019 Tivoli comes out 3.6pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.0%) and visibility (5.6%) 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), wipers and brake pads — registration plate lamp(s) alone was recorded 157 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.8% once past 60-90k — 2.4× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 11.9% fail against 14.0% for diesel, a 2.2-point gap across 3,307 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 20.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 19.5% in 2021 to 15.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 232 |
| 2 | Visibility | 5.6% | 186 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.1% | 169 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.6% | 153 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 26 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 12 |
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) | 157 |
| 2 | Wipers | 157 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 104 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 70 |
| 5 | Washers | 66 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 46 |
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 | 20.6% | 682 |
| 2 | Tyres | 18.5% | 612 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.4% | 244 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.0% | 199 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 111 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 1.8% | 58 |
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 | 1,926 | 9.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,187 | 16.4% |
| 60-90k | 170 | 21.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 2,495 | 11.9% |
| Diesel | 812 | 14.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 41 | 19.5% |
| 2022 | 792 | 8.8% |
| 2023 | 831 | 11.2% |
| 2024 | 801 | 13.9% |
| 2025 | 842 | 15.2% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Tivoli
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (5.6% 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.
- Tyres (5.1% 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 2019 SsangYong Tivolis pass their MOT?
87.6% of the 3,307 2019 SsangYong Tivoli MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 SsangYong Tivoli?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.0% of tests, followed by visibility (5.6%).
Does the 2019 Tivoli get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.0% in the 0-30k band to 21.8% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,307 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.