2020 SsangYong Tivoli — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 SsangYong Tivoli passed 86.2% of its 995 recorded MOT tests. Small SUVs of a similar age fail 8.0% of the time, so this is 5.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.8%) and visibility (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), wipers and brake pads — registration plate lamp(s) alone was recorded 56 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.5% once past 60-90k — 2.6× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.4% of tests failed in 2023 against 14.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.8% | 78 |
| 2 | Visibility | 6.6% | 66 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.3% | 53 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.9% | 49 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 11 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.7% | 7 |
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) | 56 |
| 2 | Wipers | 50 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 34 |
| 4 | Washers | 27 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 19 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 19 |
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 | 20.3% | 202 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.8% | 177 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.6% | 76 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 70 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 38 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 2.5% | 25 |
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 | 631 | 9.7% |
| 30-60k | 304 | 19.1% |
| 60-90k | 47 | 25.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 822 | 13.4% |
| Diesel | 173 | 15.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 318 | 10.4% |
| 2024 | 332 | 16.0% |
| 2025 | 338 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Tivoli
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (6.6% 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.
- Brakes (5.3% 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 2020 SsangYong Tivolis pass their MOT?
86.2% of the 995 2020 SsangYong Tivoli MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 SsangYong Tivoli?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.8% of tests, followed by visibility (6.6%).
Does the 2020 Tivoli get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.7% in the 0-30k band to 25.5% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 995 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.