1983 Land Rover Defender — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1983 perform at MOT as they age

43 years

Current Age

73.9%

Latest Pass Rate

4,503

Total Tests (All Years)

114,741 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1983 Land Rover Defender as it ages.

26 yrs47.4%

→ ↑5.3%

27 yrs52.7%

→ ↑3.7%

28 yrs56.4%

→ ↑0.1%

29 yrs56.5%

→ ↓1.9%

30 yrs54.6%

→ ↓1.2%

31 yrs53.4%

→ ↑3.9%

32 yrs57.3%

→ ↑4.4%

33 yrs61.7%

→ ↑1.5%

34 yrs63.2%

→ ↑2.9%

35 yrs66.1%

→ ↑0.1%

36 yrs66.2%

→ ↓0.3%

37 yrs65.9%

→ ↓3.2%

38 yrs62.7%

→ ↓1.4%

39 yrs61.3%

→ ↑6.7%

40 yrs68.0%

→ ↑5.9%

41 yrs73.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
26 yrs	47.4%	359
27 yrs	52.7%	351
28 yrs	56.4%	328
29 yrs	56.5%	310
30 yrs	54.6%	291
31 yrs	53.4%	292
32 yrs	57.3%	262
33 yrs	61.7%	256
34 yrs	63.2%	353
35 yrs	66.1%	254
36 yrs	66.2%	234
37 yrs	65.9%	211
38 yrs	62.7%	268
39 yrs	61.3%	238
40 yrs	68.0%	247
41 yrs	73.9%	249

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1983 Land Rover Defender pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (41 yrs)	73.9%	249
2023 (40 yrs)	68%	247
2022 (39 yrs)	61.3%	238
2021 (38 yrs)	62.7%	268
2020 (37 yrs)	65.9%	211
2019 (36 yrs)	66.2%	234
2018 (35 yrs)	66.1%	254
2017 (34 yrs)	63.2%	353
2016 (33 yrs)	61.7%	256
2015 (32 yrs)	57.3%	262
2014 (31 yrs)	53.4%	292
2013 (30 yrs)	54.6%	291
2012 (29 yrs)	56.5%	310
2011 (28 yrs)	56.4%	328
2010 (27 yrs)	52.7%	351
2009 (26 yrs)	47.4%	359

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

47.4%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 359Avg Mileage 103,369Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.3%

2010High Fail Rate

52.7%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 351Avg Mileage 106,614Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.5%

2011High Fail Rate

56.4%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 328Avg Mileage 102,104Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.0%

2012High Fail Rate

56.5%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 310Avg Mileage 105,967Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.8%

2013High Fail Rate

54.6%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 291Avg Mileage 101,669Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.0%

2014High Fail Rate

53.4%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 292Avg Mileage 108,387Top Failure Suspension — 72.6%

2015High Fail Rate

57.3%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 262Avg Mileage 102,656Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 66.4%

2016High Fail Rate

61.7%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 256Avg Mileage 106,308Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.6%

2017High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 353Avg Mileage 122,529Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 52.4%

2018

66.1%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 254Avg Mileage 122,206Top Failure Brakes — 35.8%

2019

66.2%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 234Avg Mileage 122,109Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 51.3%

2020

65.9%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 211Avg Mileage 118,576Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.1%

2021High Fail Rate

62.7%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 268Avg Mileage 122,078Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 66.0%

2022High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 238Avg Mileage 120,746Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 53.4%

2023

68.0%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 247Avg Mileage 123,753Top Failure Suspension — 38.5%

2024

73.9%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 249Avg Mileage 114,741Top Failure Suspension — 27.3%

MOT results for 1983 Land Rover Defender by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	26	47.4%	359	103,369	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.3%
2010	27	52.7%	351	106,614	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.5%
2011	28	56.4%	328	102,104	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.0%
2012	29	56.5%	310	105,967	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 26.8%
2013	30	54.6%	291	101,669	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.0%
2014	31	53.4%	292	108,387	Suspension — 72.6%
2015	32	57.3%	262	102,656	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 66.4%
2016	33	61.7%	256	106,308	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.6%
2017	34	63.2%	353	122,529	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 52.4%
2018	35	66.1%	254	122,206	Brakes — 35.8%
2019	36	66.2%	234	122,109	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 51.3%
2020	37	65.9%	211	118,576	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.1%
2021	38	62.7%	268	122,078	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 66.0%
2022	39	61.3%	238	120,746	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 53.4%
2023	40	68.0%	247	123,753	Suspension — 38.5%
2024	41	73.9%	249	114,741	Suspension — 27.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1983 Land Rover Defender, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

47.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

42.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

38.4%

— Consistent

Body, chassis, structure

34.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

30.7%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	26.2% (26 yrs)	15.3% (41 yrs)	-10.9%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	26.7% (26 yrs)	27.3% (41 yrs)	+0.6%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Land Rover Defender page →

About This Data

This page shows how Land Rover Defender cars manufactured in 1983 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,503 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.