1987 Land Rover Defender — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1987 perform at MOT as they age

39 years

Current Age

65.7%

Latest Pass Rate

28,126

Total Tests (All Years)

140,312 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 1987 Land Rover Defender as it ages.

22 yrs50.7%

→ ↑0.9%

23 yrs51.6%

→ ↑0.6%

24 yrs52.2%

→ ↑0.2%

25 yrs52.4%

→ ↓1.0%

26 yrs51.4%

→ ↑1.2%

27 yrs52.6%

→ ↑1.5%

28 yrs54.1%

→ ↑2.0%

29 yrs56.1%

→ ↑2.4%

30 yrs58.5%

→ ↑1.6%

31 yrs60.1%

→ ↑3.1%

32 yrs63.2%

→ ↓3.6%

33 yrs59.6%

→ ↑0.1%

34 yrs59.7%

→ ↑5.8%

35 yrs65.5%

→ ↓2.4%

36 yrs63.1%

→ ↑2.6%

37 yrs65.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
22 yrs	50.7%	1,909
23 yrs	51.6%	1,874
24 yrs	52.2%	1,875
25 yrs	52.4%	1,774
26 yrs	51.4%	1,682
27 yrs	52.6%	1,587
28 yrs	54.1%	1,542
29 yrs	56.1%	1,504
30 yrs	58.5%	2,143
31 yrs	60.1%	1,455
32 yrs	63.2%	1,502
33 yrs	59.6%	1,423
34 yrs	59.7%	1,550
35 yrs	65.5%	1,418
36 yrs	63.1%	1,705
37 yrs	65.7%	3,183

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1987 Land Rover Defender pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (37 yrs)	65.7%	3,183
2023 (36 yrs)	63.1%	1,705
2022 (35 yrs)	65.5%	1,418
2021 (34 yrs)	59.7%	1,550
2020 (33 yrs)	59.6%	1,423
2019 (32 yrs)	63.2%	1,502
2018 (31 yrs)	60.1%	1,455
2017 (30 yrs)	58.5%	2,143
2016 (29 yrs)	56.1%	1,504
2015 (28 yrs)	54.1%	1,542
2014 (27 yrs)	52.6%	1,587
2013 (26 yrs)	51.4%	1,682
2012 (25 yrs)	52.4%	1,774
2011 (24 yrs)	52.2%	1,875
2010 (23 yrs)	51.6%	1,874
2009 (22 yrs)	50.7%	1,909

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

50.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,909Avg Mileage 128,513Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.0%

2010High Fail Rate

51.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,874Avg Mileage 127,386Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%

2011High Fail Rate

52.2%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,875Avg Mileage 129,882Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.6%

2012High Fail Rate

52.4%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,774Avg Mileage 132,293Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.6%

2013High Fail Rate

51.4%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,682Avg Mileage 131,955Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 89.7%

2014High Fail Rate

52.6%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,587Avg Mileage 133,617Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 81.4%

2015High Fail Rate

54.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,542Avg Mileage 135,520Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 80.7%

2016High Fail Rate

56.1%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 1,504Avg Mileage 136,614Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 71.9%

2017High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 2,143Avg Mileage 139,214Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 68.1%

2018High Fail Rate

60.1%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 1,455Avg Mileage 138,817Top Failure Suspension — 45.7%

2019High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 1,502Avg Mileage 139,201Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 57.8%

2020High Fail Rate

59.6%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 1,423Avg Mileage 141,892Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 67.3%

2021High Fail Rate

59.7%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 1,550Avg Mileage 141,229Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 64.2%

2022

65.5%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 1,418Avg Mileage 138,875Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 58.7%

2023High Fail Rate

63.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 1,705Avg Mileage 137,859Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.7%

2024

65.7%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 3,183Avg Mileage 140,312Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.0%

MOT results for 1987 Land Rover Defender by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	22	50.7%	1,909	128,513	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.0%
2010	23	51.6%	1,874	127,386	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.9%
2011	24	52.2%	1,875	129,882	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.6%
2012	25	52.4%	1,774	132,293	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.6%
2013	26	51.4%	1,682	131,955	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 89.7%
2014	27	52.6%	1,587	133,617	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 81.4%
2015	28	54.1%	1,542	135,520	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 80.7%
2016	29	56.1%	1,504	136,614	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 71.9%
2017	30	58.5%	2,143	139,214	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 68.1%
2018	31	60.1%	1,455	138,817	Suspension — 45.7%
2019	32	63.2%	1,502	139,201	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 57.8%
2020	33	59.6%	1,423	141,892	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 67.3%
2021	34	59.7%	1,550	141,229	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 64.2%
2022	35	65.5%	1,418	138,875	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 58.7%
2023	36	63.1%	1,705	137,859	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.7%
2024	37	65.7%	3,183	140,312	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 43.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1987 Land Rover Defender, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

58.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

56.3%

— Consistent

Suspension

41.4%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

38.7%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

32.6%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	23.4% (22 yrs)	33.7% (37 yrs)	+10.3%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	24.5% (22 yrs)	30.6% (37 yrs)	+6.1%	🔴 ↑
Steering	19.4% (22 yrs)	19.1% (37 yrs)	-0.3%	⚪ —

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 1987 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 28,126 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.