2020 Volkswagen Passat S-A — MOT failures & pass rate

Across 7,044 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Volkswagen Passat S-A, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, brakes and suspension. Its pass rate of 90.6% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (90.6%).

Pass rate

7,044

MOT tests analysed

9.4%

Fail rate

in line with

vs cars of similar age

3.9

Avg age at test (yrs)

How it compares

Fail rate for this model-year against the segment and national averages for cars of a similar age.

Top failure categories

Most common MOT failure areas — 2020 Volkswagen Passat S-A
#	Category	% of tests affected	Tests
1	Tyres	5.2%	366
2	Brakes	1.8%	124
3	Suspension	1.7%	122
4	Visibility	1.5%	102
5	Lighting & signalling	1.4%	96
6	Emissions & environmental	0.9%	66

Percentage of tests with at least one failure recorded in each category.

Most common specific failures

The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.

Most frequently recorded failure items — 2020 Volkswagen Passat S-A
#	Failure item	Times recorded
1	Tread depth	175
2	Shock absorbers	136
3	Headlamp aim	97
4	Brake pads	87
5	Wipers	60
6	Malfunction indicator lamp	55

Top advisory categories

Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.

Most common MOT advisories — 2020 Volkswagen Passat S-A
#	Category	% of tests with advisory	Tests
1	Tyres	21.5%	1,513
2	Brakes	17.8%	1,257
3	Suspension	8.8%	617
4	Other defects	6.3%	446
5	Visibility	3.2%	226
6	Emissions & environmental	0.5%	34

Failure rate by mileage

Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.

MOT fail rate by recorded mileage band.

Fail rate by recorded mileage — 2020 Passat S-A
Mileage band	Tests	Fail rate
0-30k	1,403	6.6%
30-60k	3,187	8.9%
60-90k	1,507	10.7%
90-120k	625	13.9%
120-150k	198	11.6%
150k+	123	11.4%

Failure rate by age

How this model-year's MOT fail rate climbs as the cars get older.

By fuel type

Fail rate by fuel type — 2020 Passat S-A
Fuel	Tests	Fail rate
Diesel	6,826	9.5%
Petrol	218	6.4%

Trend over time

Fail rate by dataset year — 2020 Passat S-A
Dataset year	Tests	Fail rate
2022	118	5.1%
2023	2,398	10.8%
2024	2,297	8.3%
2025	2,211	9.4%

What to check before buying a 2020 Passat S-A

Before buying a 2020 Volkswagen Passat S-A, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 5.2% of tests for this year.

Tyres (5.2% 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 (1.8% 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.
Suspension (1.7% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.

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 Volkswagen Passat S-As pass their MOT?

90.6% of the 7,044 2020 Volkswagen Passat S-A MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.4% fail rate.

What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Volkswagen Passat S-A?

Tyres, recorded in 5.2% of tests, followed by brakes (1.8%).

Does the 2020 Passat S-A get worse with mileage?

Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 11.4% in the 150k+ band.

Methodology & source. Based on 7,044 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.