MOT data by first-use year
2021 Lexus ES: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 2,669 MOT tests · Updated
6.7% of 2021 Lexus ES cars failed their MOT at 4 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2020 and 2022 cars (2,669 MOT tests) [1].
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- −6.9 to −6.0 points: the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 3 to 4 years, 2,669 MOT tests
- 30,000 to 60,000 miles: 8.9% of Lexus ES cars first used 2019–2021 failed at 4 years, against 5.1% at under 30,000 miles, 2,712 MOT tests
- At 4 years (tested 2025): 6.7% failed, against 12.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 4 years in 2025, 1,318 MOT tests
Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2021 Lexus ES cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 4 years (2025)
- 6.7%
- vs 12.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 4 years in 2025
- 1,318 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −6.5 pts
- over ages 3–4: −6.9 to −6.0 pts
- 2,669 MOT tests
- Against the 2020 and 2022 cars
- −1.3 pts
- 95% range −3.2 to +0.5 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 2,669 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2021 cars
- 2,669
- tested 2024–2025, 2 ages with 1,000+ tests
- 2,669 MOT tests
About the same as the 2020 and 2022 cars: −1.3 points at the same ages (3–4), each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −3.2 to +0.5, from 2,669 MOT tests of 2021 cars and 3,229 of the 2020 and 2022 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Lexus ES year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2021 Lexus ES fail rate at each MOT
From 2024 to 2025, as these cars went from 3 to 4 years old, the fail rate went from 5.5% to 6.7%, and the gap to all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year from −6.9 to −6.0 points. The widest gap was at 3 years (−6.9 points, 1,351 MOT tests).
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 years | 5.5% | 4.4%–6.8% | 1,351 | 12.4% | −6.9 pts |
| 2025 | 4 years | 6.7% | 5.5%–8.2% | 1,318 | 12.7% | −6.0 pts |
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
2021 against the 2020 and 2022 cars, age by age
| Age | 2021 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 5.5% 1,351 MOT tests, tested 2024 | 2020: 7.1% (1,084, tested 2023) 2022: 5.1% (1,139, tested 2025) |
| 4 years | 6.7% 1,318 MOT tests, tested 2025 | 2020: 8.5% (1,006, tested 2024) |
Each year was tested in a different calendar year; the verdict compares each against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year.
What fails on a Lexus ES at 4 years
All Lexus ES MOTs at 4 years, cars first used 2019–2021 (3,297 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: tyre with cords exposed (1.6 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item), tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (1.4 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item) and wipers not clearing screen (1.4 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item).
No item fails at a clearly different rate from all class 4 vehicles the same age across 3 or more ages.
Mileage and the fail rate at 4 years
Lexus ES cars first used 2019–2021 at 30,000 to 60,000 miles failed 8.9% of MOTs at 4 years (1,310 MOT tests), against 5.1% at under 30,000 miles (1,402 MOT tests). All class 4 vehicles: 15.5% and 10.2%.
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2021 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2021 was issued a 70 (January–February), 21 (March–August) or 71 (September–December) plate, unless it was registered in Northern Ireland (no age identifier) or has since moved to a private plate. An imported one is plated when first registered here, so its plate can be newer than its first-use year. 21 plates
A 2021 car pays the standard rate after its first year. If its list price was over £40,000 it pays the expensive car supplement in years 2 to 6 (to 2027). [2] Car tax calculator for a 2021 hybrid car
For the London ULEZ, a 2021 petrol usually meets Euro 4, and a 2021 diesel usually meets Euro 6. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. Hybrids follow the rule for their petrol or diesel engine. [3] ULEZ checker
Buying a Lexus ES? Check that exact car before the viewing.
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- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 2021 Lexus ES?
6.7% at 4 years (tested 2025), from 1,318 MOT tests, against 12.7% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 4 years in 2025.
Does the 2021 Lexus ES fail more MOTs than the 2020 and 2022?
1.3 percentage points apart at the same ages (3–4), each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 2,669 MOT tests (95% range −3.2 to +0.5), so about the same.
At what ages were 2021 Lexus ES cars MOT tested in the data?
2 ages with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 3–4 years, tested 2024–2025, 2,669 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on a Lexus ES at 4 years?
1.6 in 100 MOT tests failed on tyre with cords exposed, the most common fail item (a wear item). From 3,297 MOT tests of Lexus ES cars first used 2019–2021, not only 2021.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 2,669 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 4 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 4 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare