2020 Volkswagen Touareg — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Volkswagen Touareg passed 92.1% of its 6,446 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.4 percentage points better than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 9.3%. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 4.9% of tests against 1.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 94 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 Touareg fails 6.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 7.5% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.0 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 7.8% of the time against 8.4% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.3% of tests failed in 2022 against 7.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.9% | 317 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.4% | 88 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 63 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.9% | 56 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 50 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 40 |
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 | 94 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 93 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 52 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 48 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 41 |
| 6 | Washers | 34 |
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 | 18.1% | 1,165 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.0% | 773 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.5% | 357 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 161 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 88 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 30 |
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 | 2,073 | 6.6% |
| 30-60k | 3,493 | 8.6% |
| 60-90k | 708 | 8.2% |
| 90-120k | 133 | 7.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,320 | 7.8% |
| Petrol | 1,126 | 8.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 46 | 4.3% |
| 2023 | 2,184 | 8.1% |
| 2024 | 2,139 | 8.6% |
| 2025 | 2,068 | 7.1% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Touareg
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.9% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.9% 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 (1.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 Touaregs pass their MOT?
92.1% of the 6,446 2020 Volkswagen Touareg MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Volkswagen Touareg?
Tyres, recorded in 4.9% of tests, followed by brakes (1.4%).
Does the 2020 Touareg get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.6% in the 0-30k band to 7.5% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,446 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.