Ranked by MOT fails against cars the same age and mileage, 3 to 15 years old

Land Rover models ranked by MOT fails

Q: Which Land Rover models have the fewest MOT fails?

262,082 MOT tests at 3 to 15 years put the Land Rover Range Rover first: 33% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage. Next is the Land Rover Range Rover Sport: 30% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage.

Q: Which Land Rover models fail their MOT most often?

124,596 MOT tests at 3 to 8 years put the Land Rover Range Rover Velar last of the 9 in this list: no clear difference from cars the same age and mileage by our 20% rule (ratio 1.04).

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 2,841,691 MOT tests · Updated 7 Oct 2026

Land Rover Range Rover has the fewest MOT fails among Land Rover models: 33% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage (262,082 MOT tests) ^[1].

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9 models and generations ranked, 5 with at least 20% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage (95% interval, at 3 or more ages), from 2,841,691 MOT tests ^[1]
Land Rover Range Rover Sport is next: 30% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage (428,840 MOT tests)
Land Rover Range Rover Velar is last of the 9: no clear difference from cars the same age and mileage by our 20% rule (ratio 1.04) (124,596 MOT tests)

Which year and engine a car has, and how it was kept, decide where one car sits in these ranges. Check the reg first.

Fail rates are for the model across its MOT tests, never a forecast for one car.

Fewest MOT fails: Land Rover Range Rover, 33% fewer fails than cars the same age and mileage
#2 for fewest MOT fails: Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 30% fewer fails than cars the same age and mileage
#4 for fewest MOT fails: Land Rover Freelander, 25% fewer fails than cars the same age and mileage
#5 for fewest MOT fails: Land Rover Discovery, 25% fewer fails than cars the same age and mileage

This is DVSA MOT data, not road tests, owner surveys or breakdown records, and nobody paid to be included. Each model is compared with all cars tested at the same age, in the same mileage band and in its own mix of test years, so a low-mileage model does not look better for its low mileage. "Most reliable" in our titles is measured as MOT failure rate at the same age and mileage, not breakdowns.

Land Rover models: the ranking

Ranked by MOT fails against cars the same age and mileage, from 9 models and generations with at least 1,000 MOT tests at each of 3 or more ages between 3 to 15 years (pooled). The range under each rank is where the model could sit once sampling error is allowed for. Each adjusted rate reads against its own all-car rate, because models are tested at different ages.

Top 9 of 9. Adjusted rate = the model's rate at typical mileage for its own ages, against all cars at those ages; raw = its own ages and mileage.
#95% range	Model	Against cars the same age and mileage	Adjusted rateits own ages, typical mileage	Rawits own ages and mileage	MOT tests	Next step
1certain	Land Rover Range Roverlarge SUV	33% fewer fails (32–33% fewer)	17.2%all cars: 25.6%	18.5%	262,082at 3 to 15 years	Land Rover Range Rover MOT fail rate · Land Rover Range Rover common problems
22–3	Land Rover Range Rover Sportlarge SUV	30% fewer fails (29–30% fewer)	16.7%all cars: 23.8%	17.9%	428,840at 3 to 15 years	Land Rover Range Rover Sport MOT fail rate · Land Rover Range Rover Sport common problems
32–3	Land Rover Defender (first used from 2020)large SUV	close to averageratio 0.71 (0.68–0.73)	8.0%all cars: 11.4%	8.8%	39,344at 3 to 5 years	Land Rover Defender MOT fail rate · Land Rover Defender common problems
44–5	Land Rover Freelanderfamily SUV	25% fewer fails (25–26% fewer)	26.8%all cars: 35.8%	28.4%	317,176at 8 to 15 years	Land Rover Freelander MOT fail rate · Land Rover Freelander common problems
54–6	Land Rover Discoverylarge SUV	25% fewer fails (24–25% fewer)	19.3%all cars: 25.6%	21.4%	381,543at 3 to 15 years	Land Rover Discovery MOT fail rate · Land Rover Discovery common problems
65–6	Land Rover Range Rover Evoquefamily SUV	24% fewer fails (23–24% fewer)	16.0%all cars: 21.1%	16.7%	701,159at 3 to 14 years	Land Rover Range Rover Evoque MOT fail rate · Land Rover Range Rover Evoque common problems
7certain	Land Rover Defender (first used before 2020)large SUV	close to averageratio 0.90 (0.89–0.91)	29.2%all cars: 32.4%	26.8%	142,033at 6 to 15 years	–
8certain	Land Rover Discovery Sportfamily SUV	close to averageratio 0.95 (0.95–0.96)	16.8%all cars: 17.6%	18.0%	444,918at 3 to 10 years	Land Rover Discovery Sport MOT fail rate · Land Rover Discovery Sport common problems
9certain	Land Rover Range Rover Velarlarge SUV	close to averageratio 1.04 (1.03–1.05)	14.8%all cars: 14.2%	15.6%	124,596at 3 to 8 years	Land Rover Range Rover Velar MOT fail rate · Land Rover Range Rover Velar common problems

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The top 9 in this list, model by model

1 · 33% fewer MOT fails

Land Rover Range Rover

Why it ranks here: 33% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage (ratio 0.67, 95% CI 0.67–0.68), from 262,082 MOT tests at 3 to 15 years. At typical mileage its rate would be about 17.2% (17.0%–17.3%), against 25.6% for all cars at the same ages; raw (its own ages and mileage) 18.5%. Rank range 1–1.

Check before you buy: fails on number plates and VIN 2.3–2.5× as often as cars the same age (1,819 fails in 264,211 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted); fails on seat belts and airbags 2.0–2.1× as often as cars the same age (3,431 fails in 264,211 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted).

Suits: buyers looking at a large SUV; the ones tested were mostly diesel.

2 · 30% fewer MOT fails

Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Why it ranks here: 30% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage (ratio 0.70, 95% CI 0.70–0.71), from 428,840 MOT tests at 3 to 15 years. At typical mileage its rate would be about 16.7% (16.6%–16.8%), against 23.8% for all cars at the same ages; raw (its own ages and mileage) 17.9%. Rank range 2–3.

Check before you buy: fails on number plates and VIN 2.8–3.0× as often as cars the same age (3,511 fails in 432,431 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted); fails on seat belts and airbags 2.6–2.7× as often as cars the same age (6,700 fails in 432,431 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted); fails on road wheels 1.2–1.3× as often as cars the same age (1,842 fails in 432,431 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted).

Suits: buyers looking at a large SUV; the ones tested were mostly diesel.

3 · About average

Land Rover Defender (first used from 2020)

Why it ranks here: No clear difference from cars the same age and mileage by our 20% rule (ratio 0.71, 95% CI 0.68–0.73), from 39,344 MOT tests at 3 to 5 years. At typical mileage its rate would be about 8.0% (7.8%–8.3%), against 11.4% for all cars at the same ages; raw (its own ages and mileage) 8.8%. Rank range 2–3.

Check before you buy: fails on emissions and leaks 1.5–1.9× as often as cars the same age (319 fails in 39,776 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted).

Suits: buyers looking at a large SUV; the ones tested were 80% diesel, 16% petrol; this row covers cars first used from 2020.

4 · 25% fewer MOT fails

Land Rover Freelander

Why it ranks here: 25% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage (ratio 0.75, 95% CI 0.74–0.75), from 317,176 MOT tests at 8 to 15 years. At typical mileage its rate would be about 26.8% (26.6%–26.9%), against 35.8% for all cars at the same ages; raw (its own ages and mileage) 28.4%. Rank range 4–5.

Check before you buy: fails on steering 2.0–2.1× as often as cars the same age (16,651 fails in 318,478 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted).

Suits: buyers looking at a family SUV; the ones tested were mostly diesel.

5 · 25% fewer MOT fails

Land Rover Discovery

Why it ranks here: 25% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage (ratio 0.76, 95% CI 0.75–0.76), from 381,543 MOT tests at 3 to 15 years. At typical mileage its rate would be about 19.3% (19.2%–19.4%), against 25.6% for all cars at the same ages; raw (its own ages and mileage) 21.4%. Rank range 4–6.

Check before you buy: fails on number plates and VIN 1.5–1.6× as often as cars the same age (1,733 fails in 384,492 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted); fails on body and structure 1.39–1.44× as often as cars the same age (12,504 fails in 384,492 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted).

Suits: buyers looking at a large SUV; the ones tested were mostly diesel.

6 · 24% fewer MOT fails

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

Why it ranks here: 24% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage (ratio 0.76, 95% CI 0.76–0.77), from 701,159 MOT tests at 3 to 14 years. At typical mileage its rate would be about 16.0% (16.0%–16.1%), against 21.1% for all cars at the same ages; raw (its own ages and mileage) 16.7%. Rank range 5–6.

Check before you buy: fails on number plates and VIN 1.7–1.9× as often as cars the same age (3,185 fails in 704,715 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted).

Suits: buyers looking at a family SUV; the ones tested were mostly diesel.

7 · About average

Land Rover Defender (first used before 2020)

Why it ranks here: No clear difference from cars the same age and mileage by our 20% rule (ratio 0.90, 95% CI 0.89–0.91), from 142,033 MOT tests at 6 to 15 years. At typical mileage its rate would be about 29.2% (29.0%–29.5%), against 32.4% for all cars at the same ages; raw (its own ages and mileage) 26.8%. Rank range 7–7.

Check before you buy: fails on steering 2.2–2.3× as often as cars the same age (7,091 fails in 143,041 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted); fails on number plates and VIN 2.1–2.4× as often as cars the same age (1,096 fails in 143,041 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted).

Suits: buyers looking at a large SUV; the ones tested were mostly diesel; this row covers cars first used before 2020.

8 · About average

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Why it ranks here: No clear difference from cars the same age and mileage by our 20% rule (ratio 0.95, 95% CI 0.95–0.96), from 444,918 MOT tests at 3 to 10 years. At typical mileage its rate would be about 16.8% (16.7%–16.9%), against 17.6% for all cars at the same ages; raw (its own ages and mileage) 18.0%. Rank range 8–8.

Check before you buy: fails on emissions and leaks 1.8–1.9× as often as cars the same age (10,212 fails in 447,155 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted).

Suits: buyers looking at a family SUV; the ones tested were mostly diesel.

9 · About average

Land Rover Range Rover Velar

Why it ranks here: No clear difference from cars the same age and mileage by our 20% rule (ratio 1.04, 95% CI 1.03–1.05), from 124,596 MOT tests at 3 to 8 years. At typical mileage its rate would be about 14.8% (14.6%–15.0%), against 14.2% for all cars at the same ages; raw (its own ages and mileage) 15.6%. Rank range 9–9.

Check before you buy: fails on steering 4.3–4.8× as often as cars the same age (1,760 fails in 125,495 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted); fails on number plates and VIN 2.8–3.3× as often as cars the same age (816 fails in 125,495 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted); fails on emissions and leaks 1.9–2.1× as often as cars the same age (2,054 fails in 125,495 MOT tests at ages 3 to 15, not mileage-adjusted).

Suits: buyers looking at a large SUV; the ones tested were mostly diesel.

How to choose Land Rover models with this list

Compare like with like: against cars the same age and mileage, this list runs from 33% fewer (Land Rover Range Rover) to about average (Land Rover Range Rover Velar).
5 of the 9 fail at least 20% less often than cars the same age and mileage and 0 at least 20% more often; the other 4 are within that band, or too uncertain to say.
Look at what a model fails on: 9 of the 9 models above have a part that fails more often than on cars the same age.
Then check the one car: its own MOT history and advisories say more about it than its model's average.

Found one on the list? Check that car

A ranking compares models at the same age and mileage; it cannot say how one car was kept. A registration shows that car's own DVSA record: its MOT tests, the mileage at each test and the recall flag.

Free car check by registration The MOT record, the mileage readings and the recall flag in one overview, with how the model does at its MOT.
Check any car's MOT history Every MOT test, fail item, advisory and mileage reading DVSA holds for that registration.
Mileage check by registration The odometer reading from each MOT, with drops, jumps and long gaps flagged.

How we rank

2,841,691 MOT tests from 2022–2025 of cars 3 to 15 years old. For each model and age, the tests are split into 6 mileage bands (<30k, 30-60k, 60-90k, 90-120k, 120-150k, 150k+); the expected fails are what all cars of that age would fail in the same bands, corrected to the model's own mix of test years. The ratio of the model's fails to the expected fails sets its place. The adjusted rate is that ratio times the all-car rate at the model's own ages, so it reads against that rate: a model tested only at 3 to 5 years is compared with young cars, not with this list's average.

The 95% intervals cover sampling error only (Wilson intervals). A model is called fewer or more only when its interval is at least 20% from the all-car rate, overall and at 3 or more ages ("close to average" when the interval excludes the all-car rate by less); awards use the same rule. Test years: Each model's expected fails therefore use its own mix of test years 2022–2025, age by age; the mileage bands themselves pool the four years, which can leave a small bias in favour of models first sold late in the window. Generations of a model are pooled unless the data splits them; each row says which years it covers. How we compare

Limitation: MOT tests record roadworthiness defects on the test day. They do not record breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs, and they cannot separate design from upkeep: a model whose owners service it before every MOT looks better here. Only cars still on the road are tested.

More lists

Questions people ask

Which Land Rover models have the fewest MOT fails?

262,082 MOT tests at 3 to 15 years put the Land Rover Range Rover first: 33% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage. Next is the Land Rover Range Rover Sport: 30% fewer MOT fails than cars the same age and mileage.

Which Land Rover models fail their MOT most often?

124,596 MOT tests at 3 to 8 years put the Land Rover Range Rover Velar last of the 9 in this list: no clear difference from cars the same age and mileage by our 20% rule (ratio 1.04).

How many Land Rover models are compared?

9 models and generations with at least 1,000 MOT tests at each age counted, 2,841,691 MOT tests in all; 5 fail at least 20% less often than cars the same age and mileage and 0 at least 20% more often.

Sources

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 2,841,691 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.