2020 Volkswagen Touran — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2020 Volkswagen Touran passed 90.8% of its 7,656 recorded MOT tests. MPVs of a similar age fail 10.9% of the time, so this is 1.8pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 5.5% of tests against 2.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, headlamp aim and tread depth — brake pads alone was recorded 159 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2020 Touran fails 7.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 6.1% at 120-150k, a spread of only 1.1 points.
The petrol cars hold up better: 8.7% fail against 10.4% for diesel, a 1.7-point gap across 7,656 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 23.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 18.2% in 2021 to 8.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.5% | 417 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.1% | 162 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 147 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.5% | 117 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 72 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 32 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 159 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 124 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 123 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 83 |
| 5 | Wipers | 79 |
| 6 | Washers | 50 |
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 | 23.8% | 1,825 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.3% | 1,244 |
| 3 | Other defects | 10.8% | 823 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.5% | 347 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 196 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.6% | 45 |
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 | 3,720 | 7.2% |
| 30-60k | 3,155 | 11.0% |
| 60-90k | 589 | 11.4% |
| 90-120k | 130 | 11.5% |
| 120-150k | 33 | 6.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,493 | 8.7% |
| Diesel | 2,163 | 10.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 181 | 18.2% |
| 2022 | 143 | 6.3% |
| 2023 | 2,458 | 8.7% |
| 2024 | 2,449 | 9.5% |
| 2025 | 2,425 | 8.8% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Touran
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.
- Brakes (2.1% 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 (1.9% 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 Tourans pass their MOT?
90.8% of the 7,656 2020 Volkswagen Touran MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Volkswagen Touran?
Tyres, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by brakes (2.1%).
Does the 2020 Touran get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.2% in the 0-30k band to 6.1% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,656 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.