2020 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line S-A — MOT failures & pass rate

Across 9,528 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line S-A, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, brakes and visibility. Its pass rate of 90.8% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (90.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 16.7% in the 90-120k group versus 7.0% in the 0-30k group.

Pass rate

9,528

MOT tests analysed

9.2%

Fail rate

in line with

vs cars of similar age

Avg age at test (yrs)

How it compares

Fail rate for this model-year against the segment and national averages for cars of a similar age.

Top failure categories

Most common MOT failure areas — 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line S-A
#	Category	% of tests affected	Tests
1	Tyres	5.1%	482
2	Brakes	2.4%	227
3	Visibility	1.2%	115
4	Suspension	1.1%	110
5	Lighting & signalling	0.7%	62
6	Emissions & environmental	0.4%	42

Percentage of tests with at least one failure recorded in each category.

Most common specific failures

The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.

Most frequently recorded failure items — 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line S-A
#	Failure item	Times recorded
1	Tread depth	319
2	Brake pads	183
3	Pins and bushes	117
4	Wipers	80
5	Brake discs	70
6	Registration plates	63

Top advisory categories

Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.

Most common MOT advisories — 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line S-A
#	Category	% of tests with advisory	Tests
1	Tyres	19.4%	1,852
2	Brakes	18.5%	1,764
3	Other defects	10.7%	1,020
4	Suspension	8.2%	781
5	Visibility	2.6%	252
6	Road wheels	0.4%	33

Failure rate by mileage

Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.

MOT fail rate by recorded mileage band.

Fail rate by recorded mileage — 2020 Tiguan R-Line S-A
Mileage band	Tests	Fail rate
0-30k	3,953	7.0%
30-60k	4,804	10.4%
60-90k	674	12.3%
90-120k	84	16.7%

Failure rate by age

How this model-year's MOT fail rate climbs as the cars get older.

By fuel type

Fail rate by fuel type — 2020 Tiguan R-Line S-A
Fuel	Tests	Fail rate
Diesel	5,554	9.6%
Petrol	3,974	8.6%

Trend over time

Fail rate by dataset year — 2020 Tiguan R-Line S-A
Dataset year	Tests	Fail rate
2023	3,152	9.3%
2024	3,191	9.3%
2025	3,160	9.0%

What to check before buying a 2020 Tiguan R-Line S-A

Before buying a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line S-A, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 5.1% of tests for this year.

Tyres (5.1% 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 (2.4% 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.
Visibility (1.2% 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 Tiguan R-Line S-As pass their MOT?

90.8% of the 9,528 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line S-A MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.2% fail rate.

What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line S-A?

Tyres, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by brakes (2.4%).

Does the 2020 Tiguan R-Line S-A get worse with mileage?

Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.0% in the 0-30k band to 16.7% in the 90-120k band.

Methodology & source. Based on 9,528 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.