1986 Land Rover Defender — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1986 perform at MOT as they age

40 years

Current Age

67.0%

Latest Pass Rate

28,393

Total Tests (All Years)

133,241 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 1986 Land Rover Defender as it ages.

23 yrs53.2%

→ ↑0.5%

24 yrs53.7%

→ ↓0.6%

25 yrs53.1%

→ ↓0.1%

26 yrs53.0%

→ ↓2.4%

27 yrs50.6%

→ ↑2.6%

28 yrs53.2%

→ ↑1.9%

29 yrs55.1%

→ ↑2.2%

30 yrs57.3%

→ ↑2.6%

31 yrs59.9%

→ ↓0.8%

32 yrs59.1%

→ ↑1.4%

33 yrs60.5%

→ ↑2.0%

34 yrs62.5%

→ ↑0.7%

35 yrs63.2%

→ ↑0.8%

36 yrs64.0%

→ ↑2.2%

37 yrs66.2%

→ ↑0.8%

38 yrs67.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
23 yrs	53.2%	1,848
24 yrs	53.7%	1,840
25 yrs	53.1%	1,833
26 yrs	53.0%	1,742
27 yrs	50.6%	1,714
28 yrs	53.2%	1,648
29 yrs	55.1%	1,585
30 yrs	57.3%	1,558
31 yrs	59.9%	2,298
32 yrs	59.1%	1,486
33 yrs	60.5%	1,523
34 yrs	62.5%	1,480
35 yrs	63.2%	1,333
36 yrs	64.0%	1,523
37 yrs	66.2%	1,778
38 yrs	67.0%	3,204

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1986 Land Rover Defender pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (38 yrs)	67%	3,204
2023 (37 yrs)	66.2%	1,778
2022 (36 yrs)	64%	1,523
2021 (35 yrs)	63.2%	1,333
2020 (34 yrs)	62.5%	1,480
2019 (33 yrs)	60.5%	1,523
2018 (32 yrs)	59.1%	1,486
2017 (31 yrs)	59.9%	2,298
2016 (30 yrs)	57.3%	1,558
2015 (29 yrs)	55.1%	1,585
2014 (28 yrs)	53.2%	1,648
2013 (27 yrs)	50.6%	1,714
2012 (26 yrs)	53%	1,742
2011 (25 yrs)	53.1%	1,833
2010 (24 yrs)	53.7%	1,840
2009 (23 yrs)	53.2%	1,848

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

53.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,848Avg Mileage 123,797Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.8%

2010High Fail Rate

53.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,840Avg Mileage 123,809Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.4%

2011High Fail Rate

53.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,833Avg Mileage 125,691Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.2%

2012High Fail Rate

53.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,742Avg Mileage 126,079Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.2%

2013High Fail Rate

50.6%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,714Avg Mileage 128,103Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 88.2%

2014High Fail Rate

53.2%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,648Avg Mileage 129,709Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 84.1%

2015High Fail Rate

55.1%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 1,585Avg Mileage 133,277Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 76.4%

2016High Fail Rate

57.3%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 1,558Avg Mileage 133,640Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 72.7%

2017High Fail Rate

59.9%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 2,298Avg Mileage 132,526Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 71.6%

2018High Fail Rate

59.1%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 1,486Avg Mileage 135,890Top Failure Suspension — 47.1%

2019High Fail Rate

60.5%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 1,523Avg Mileage 135,032Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 56.8%

2020High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 1,480Avg Mileage 137,532Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 60.2%

2021High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 1,333Avg Mileage 133,262Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.5%

2022High Fail Rate

64.0%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 1,523Avg Mileage 132,282Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 54.2%

2023

66.2%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 1,778Avg Mileage 132,123Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 48.9%

2024

67.0%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 3,204Avg Mileage 133,241Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.7%

MOT results for 1986 Land Rover Defender by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	23	53.2%	1,848	123,797	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 31.8%
2010	24	53.7%	1,840	123,809	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.4%
2011	25	53.1%	1,833	125,691	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.2%
2012	26	53.0%	1,742	126,079	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.2%
2013	27	50.6%	1,714	128,103	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 88.2%
2014	28	53.2%	1,648	129,709	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 84.1%
2015	29	55.1%	1,585	133,277	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 76.4%
2016	30	57.3%	1,558	133,640	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 72.7%
2017	31	59.9%	2,298	132,526	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 71.6%
2018	32	59.1%	1,486	135,890	Suspension — 47.1%
2019	33	60.5%	1,523	135,032	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 56.8%
2020	34	62.5%	1,480	137,532	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 60.2%
2021	35	63.2%	1,333	133,262	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.5%
2022	36	64.0%	1,523	132,282	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 54.2%
2023	37	66.2%	1,778	132,123	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 48.9%
2024	38	67.0%	3,204	133,241	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 42.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1986 Land Rover Defender, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

58.1%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

52.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

38.6%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

37.8%

— Consistent

Body, chassis, structure

32.0%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	24.6% (23 yrs)	29.3% (38 yrs)	+4.7%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	24.4% (23 yrs)	25.7% (38 yrs)	+1.3%	⚪ —
Steering	19.4% (23 yrs)	18.7% (38 yrs)	-0.7%	⚪ —

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 1986 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 28,393 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.