Land Rover Defender MOT pass rate and common failures
Of 72,437 class-4 normal initial MOT tests in 2024, 67.8% passed without an initial fail or PRS repair — below the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 80.4% of cars aged 6–9 years passed first time, against 64.6% aged 15–30 years.
Checking a Land Rover Defender?
Model-level statistics cannot reveal the condition or provenance of one car.
Check its registration free for the actual MOT, tax and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Pass rate by vehicle age
| Age | Tests | Initial pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 6–9 years | 6,563 | 80.4% |
| 10–14 years | 16,972 | 71.8% |
| 15–30 years | 48,804 | 64.6% |
Common initial failure categories
These are the items that most often caused a Land Rover Defender to fail its first test, with what each one usually means for a buyer.
- Steering Linkage Components — 7.1% of tests. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
- Headlamp Aim — 4.9% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Position Lamps — 4.4% of tests. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Stop Lamp — 4.3% of tests. A brake light out. Usually a bulb.
- Shock Absorbers — 4% of tests. Leaking or worn dampers. Replaced in pairs and noticeable in how the car rides.
- Washers — 3.9% of tests. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
What this does and does not tell you
A pass rate describes how a population of cars behaved on test day. It says nothing about how one car was driven, serviced or repaired, and an MOT does not cover the engine, clutch or gearbox at all.
Use it to know what to look for: if tyres and brakes dominate the list, price those in; if corrosion or suspension appears, get underneath the car. Then check the individual vehicle — its MOT history shows whether these same items have been advised year after year, and its mileage record shows whether the reading is consistent.
How many Land Rover Defender are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 163,722 licensed and 31,781 SORN vehicles in the Land Rover Defender generic-model group.
Licensed and SORN trend for the Land Rover Defender
Before you buy
- Steering Linkage Components — 7.1% of tests in 2024. Worn track rod ends or joints. Affects steering and tyre wear, and is a normal age-related repair.
- Headlamp Aim — 4.9% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Position Lamps — 4.4% of tests in 2024. A side or tail light out. Usually a bulb.
- Stop Lamp — 4.3% of tests in 2024. A brake light out. Usually a bulb.
- Check the actual Defender — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Other Land Rover models
- Land Rover Range Rover Evoque — 81.3% pass
- Land Rover Discovery — 71.7% pass
- Land Rover Freelander — 65.2% pass
- Land Rover Range Rover Sport — 79.4% pass
- Land Rover Range Rover — 77.9% pass
- Land Rover Discovery Sport — 81.4% pass
See every Land Rover model MOT pass rate
Common questions
What is the Land Rover Defender MOT pass rate?
67.8% of 72,437 class-4 initial MOT tests on the Land Rover Defender passed first time in 2024 — below the 71.2% UK average.
Why does the Defender fail its MOT?
The most common initial failure categories are steering linkage components (7.1% of tests), headlamp aim (4.9% of tests), position lamps (4.4% of tests), stop lamp (4.3% of tests).
How many Land Rover Defender are left in the UK?
163,722 were licensed and 31,781 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.
Does this tell me whether one particular Defender is a good buy?
No. These are population statistics. Enter that car's registration for its own MOT, tax and mileage record, then check outstanding finance, write-off and stolen markers before buying.
Methodology and limitations
MOT outcomes describe testable items at the time of inspection. They are not a measure of overall mechanical reliability.
Scope: Class 4 normal initial MOT tests completed in 2024. Models require at least 1,000 qualifying tests. Duplicate source rows are removed using official DVSA test IDs.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency anonymised MOT tests and results, 2024, published 2025-05-23 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check the actual car
Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record. Before money changes hands, the £9.99 full history check adds outstanding finance, insurance write-off and stolen checks.