Ssangyong
5,067 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where Rodiuss pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.7 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
68.8%
Pass-after-fix
6.0%
Fail
24.1%
Avg miles
73,600
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Some examples of this model are borderline — a small number of diesels were certified Euro 6 before September 2015. Check your registration on the government's ULEZ checker to be certain. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 5,067 tests
Pass rate climbs 7.2 points across the cohorts — newer Rodius examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
67.8%
Fail
24.6%
PRS
6.3%
Avg mileage at test
77,228 mi
Pass
75.0%
Fail
20.7%
PRS
4.2%
Avg mileage at test
51,084 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 3,669 MOT tests, the Rodius returns 68.8% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a worn steering ball joint. A number-plate lamp out and a lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 67,978, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
290 occurrences · 5.7% of tests
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
278 occurrences · 5.5% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
145 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
142 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
131 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
128 occurrences · 2.5% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
124 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
120 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
120 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
119 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£148–£370
If every one of this Rodius's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 7.2-point gap between bands means the year you buy Ssangyong Rodius has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
75.0%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 75.0% — a 7.2-point improvement. Tests in this band average 51,084 miles — roughly 26K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: ball joint has excessive play, warning lamp indicates a fault — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
67.8%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 67.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 75.0% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: inoperative in the case of multiple lamps…, ball joint has excessive play, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 77,228 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (75.0% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (67.8% pass). That's a 7.2-point spread across 4,370 older tests and 697 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Recall history
The Rodius has 3 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Rodius and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.
