2020 Volkswagen T-Roc — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 54,520 MOT tests, the 2020 Volkswagen T-Roc recorded a 93.8% pass rate. Against small SUVs of a similar age (7.9% fail rate), the 2020 T-Roc comes out 1.7pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.8%) and brakes (1.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 929 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.0% once past 120-150k — 3.7× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 6.2% of the time against 6.6% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.0% of tests failed in 2022 against 7.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.8% | 2,092 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.2% | 658 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.1% | 621 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 617 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 334 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 289 |
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 | 929 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 618 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 589 |
| 4 | Wipers | 399 |
| 5 | Washers | 293 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 288 |
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 | 21.6% | 11,795 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.6% | 6,302 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.6% | 3,607 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.6% | 1,407 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 695 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 133 |
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 | 29,511 | 4.8% |
| 30-60k | 22,401 | 7.6% |
| 60-90k | 2,291 | 9.2% |
| 90-120k | 252 | 12.7% |
| 120-150k | 50 | 18.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 50,156 | 6.2% |
| Diesel | 4,364 | 6.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 783 | 4.0% |
| 2023 | 18,137 | 5.7% |
| 2024 | 17,665 | 6.0% |
| 2025 | 17,932 | 7.0% |
What to check before buying a 2020 T-Roc
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.8% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.8% 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 (1.2% 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.
- Visibility (1.1% 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.
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 T-Rocs pass their MOT?
93.8% of the 54,520 2020 Volkswagen T-Roc MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Volkswagen T-Roc?
Tyres, recorded in 3.8% of tests, followed by brakes (1.2%).
Does the 2020 T-Roc get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.8% in the 0-30k band to 18.0% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 54,520 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.