2020 Vauxhall Combo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Vauxhall Combo passed 83.2% of its 50,128 recorded MOT tests. Against vans of a similar age (14.4% fail rate), the 2020 Combo comes out 2.3pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.4%) and visibility (9.1%) 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 4,101 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.1% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 6.3pp more often than petrol ones (17.5% vs 11.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.2% of tests failed in 2022 against 15.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 5,198 |
| 2 | Visibility | 9.1% | 4,551 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.7% | 2,849 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.5% | 2,253 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 723 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.4% | 718 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 4,101 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 3,089 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 2,597 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 1,867 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,480 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 1,304 |
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 | 22.8% | 11,407 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.8% | 8,913 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 3,560 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.0% | 3,000 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.8% | 2,916 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.3% | 1,658 |
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 | 12,285 | 11.3% |
| 30-60k | 22,917 | 18.3% |
| 60-90k | 11,944 | 19.0% |
| 90-120k | 2,445 | 19.2% |
| 120-150k | 400 | 18.5% |
| 150k+ | 136 | 19.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 44,719 | 17.5% |
| Petrol | 5,409 | 11.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 591 | 11.2% |
| 2023 | 16,958 | 17.8% |
| 2024 | 16,809 | 17.6% |
| 2025 | 15,742 | 15.0% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Combo
On a 2020 Combo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (9.1% 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 (5.7% 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 Vauxhall Combos pass their MOT?
83.2% of the 50,128 2020 Vauxhall Combo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Vauxhall Combo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.4% of tests, followed by visibility (9.1%).
Does the 2020 Combo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.3% in the 0-30k band to 19.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 50,128 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.