1988 Land Rover Defender — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age

38 years

Current Age

62.9%

Latest Pass Rate

26,807

Total Tests (All Years)

139,222 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 1988 Land Rover Defender as it ages.

21 yrs49.0%

→ ↑2.6%

22 yrs51.6%

→ ↑1.7%

23 yrs53.3%

→ ↓2.0%

24 yrs51.3%

→ ↑0.6%

25 yrs51.9%

→ ↑1.2%

26 yrs53.1%

→ ↑0.7%

27 yrs53.8%

→ ↑1.6%

28 yrs55.4%

→ ↑3.3%

29 yrs58.7%

→ ↓0.2%

30 yrs58.5%

→ ↑0.2%

31 yrs58.7%

→ ↑3.4%

32 yrs62.1%

→ ↓0.4%

33 yrs61.7%

→ ↑0.5%

34 yrs62.2%

→ ↑1.4%

35 yrs63.6%

→ ↓0.7%

36 yrs62.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
21 yrs	49.0%	1,906
22 yrs	51.6%	1,871
23 yrs	53.3%	1,817
24 yrs	51.3%	1,717
25 yrs	51.9%	1,626
26 yrs	53.1%	1,508
27 yrs	53.8%	1,447
28 yrs	55.4%	1,400
29 yrs	58.7%	2,031
30 yrs	58.5%	1,325
31 yrs	58.7%	1,370
32 yrs	62.1%	1,286
33 yrs	61.7%	1,571
34 yrs	62.2%	1,299
35 yrs	63.6%	1,502
36 yrs	62.9%	3,131

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1988 Land Rover Defender pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (36 yrs)	62.9%	3,131
2023 (35 yrs)	63.6%	1,502
2022 (34 yrs)	62.2%	1,299
2021 (33 yrs)	61.7%	1,571
2020 (32 yrs)	62.1%	1,286
2019 (31 yrs)	58.7%	1,370
2018 (30 yrs)	58.5%	1,325
2017 (29 yrs)	58.7%	2,031
2016 (28 yrs)	55.4%	1,400
2015 (27 yrs)	53.8%	1,447
2014 (26 yrs)	53.1%	1,508
2013 (25 yrs)	51.9%	1,626
2012 (24 yrs)	51.3%	1,717
2011 (23 yrs)	53.3%	1,817
2010 (22 yrs)	51.6%	1,871
2009 (21 yrs)	49%	1,906

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

49.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 1,906Avg Mileage 121,760Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.5%

2010High Fail Rate

51.6%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,871Avg Mileage 125,123Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.5%

2011High Fail Rate

53.3%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,817Avg Mileage 128,053Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.7%

2012High Fail Rate

51.3%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,717Avg Mileage 127,496Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.8%

2013High Fail Rate

51.9%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,626Avg Mileage 131,156Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 87.3%

2014High Fail Rate

53.1%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,508Avg Mileage 131,210Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 83.6%

2015High Fail Rate

53.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,447Avg Mileage 132,220Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.6%

2016High Fail Rate

55.4%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,400Avg Mileage 133,899Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.8%

2017High Fail Rate

58.7%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 2,031Avg Mileage 137,310Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 67.9%

2018High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 1,325Avg Mileage 137,948Top Failure Suspension — 51.2%

2019High Fail Rate

58.7%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 1,370Avg Mileage 138,507Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 68.2%

2020High Fail Rate

62.1%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 1,286Avg Mileage 138,112Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 63.8%

2021High Fail Rate

61.7%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 1,571Avg Mileage 137,519Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 66.0%

2022High Fail Rate

62.2%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 1,299Avg Mileage 137,096Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 60.5%

2023High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 1,502Avg Mileage 137,741Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.4%

2024High Fail Rate

62.9%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 3,131Avg Mileage 139,222Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.9%

MOT results for 1988 Land Rover Defender by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	21	49.0%	1,906	121,760	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.5%
2010	22	51.6%	1,871	125,123	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.5%
2011	23	53.3%	1,817	128,053	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 33.7%
2012	24	51.3%	1,717	127,496	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.8%
2013	25	51.9%	1,626	131,156	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 87.3%
2014	26	53.1%	1,508	131,210	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 83.6%
2015	27	53.8%	1,447	132,220	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 78.6%
2016	28	55.4%	1,400	133,899	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 79.8%
2017	29	58.7%	2,031	137,310	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 67.9%
2018	30	58.5%	1,325	137,948	Suspension — 51.2%
2019	31	58.7%	1,370	138,507	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 68.2%
2020	32	62.1%	1,286	138,112	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 63.8%
2021	33	61.7%	1,571	137,519	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 66.0%
2022	34	62.2%	1,299	137,096	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 60.5%
2023	35	63.6%	1,502	137,741	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.4%
2024	36	62.9%	3,131	139,222	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 52.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1988 Land Rover Defender, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

59.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

56.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

44.6%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

39.5%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

36.4%

↓ 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
Suspension	25.8% (21 yrs)	38.8% (36 yrs)	+13.0%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	24.7% (21 yrs)	34.1% (36 yrs)	+9.4%	🔴 ↑
Steering	21.7% (21 yrs)	21.6% (36 yrs)	-0.1%	⚪ —

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 1988 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 26,807 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.