2020 Volkswagen Sharan — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Volkswagen Sharan passed 89.1% of its 5,713 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as MPVs of a similar age (10.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.5%) and lighting & signalling (2.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 110 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.3% in the 0-30k band and 14.7% in the 150k+ band, a 6.4-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 10.5% of the time against 11.6% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.5% | 314 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.5% | 145 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.3% | 131 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.7% | 94 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 73 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 44 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 110 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 102 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 100 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 99 |
| 5 | Wipers | 86 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 36 |
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 | 25.6% | 1,461 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.9% | 791 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.8% | 557 |
| 4 | Other defects | 9.7% | 552 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.6% | 204 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 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 | 2,166 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,626 | 12.6% |
| 60-90k | 550 | 12.4% |
| 90-120k | 213 | 10.8% |
| 120-150k | 83 | 8.4% |
| 150k+ | 75 | 14.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 4,017 | 10.5% |
| Petrol | 1,696 | 11.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 97 | 5.1% |
| 2022 | 194 | 6.2% |
| 2023 | 1,809 | 11.1% |
| 2024 | 1,835 | 12.1% |
| 2025 | 1,778 | 10.1% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Sharan
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.5% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.5% 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 (2.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.3% 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 Volkswagen Sharans pass their MOT?
89.1% of the 5,713 2020 Volkswagen Sharan MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Volkswagen Sharan?
Tyres, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.5%).
Does the 2020 Sharan get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 14.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,713 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.