Used car guide

2012 Ssangyong Korando: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Ssangyong Korandos, from 404 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 404 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

404MOT tests in 2025
53%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 63%)
6,700typical miles a year
4.8×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2012 Ssangyong Korandos than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints4.8× usual
    Ssangyong Korando
    21% All 2012 cars
    4.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.4%, against 2.1% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Rigid brake pipes4× usual
    Ssangyong Korando
    21.8% All 2012 cars
    5.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.5%, against 0.8% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Ball joint dust cover4.6× usual
    Ssangyong Korando
    13.4% All 2012 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.2%, against 1.2% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Brake lights2.7× usual
    Ssangyong Korando
    10.4% All 2012 cars
    3.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 9.7%, against 3% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Sidelights2.3× usual
    Ssangyong Korando
    11.6% All 2012 cars
    5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 11.6%, against 4.4% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

By area

The share of 2012 Ssangyong Korando MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    45% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    43% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    38% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    36% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    21% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    12% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2022554Brakes 21%
2021596Brakes 27%
2020739Brakes 30%
2019716Tyres 31%
2018744Brakes 33%
2017920Brakes 36%
20161,184Brakes 40%
20151,327Brakes 43%
2014870Brakes 41%
2013457Brakes 48%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2012 Ssangyong Korandos registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score