1996 Land Rover Defender — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

63.4%

Latest Pass Rate

70,662

Total Tests (All Years)

153,602 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 1996 Land Rover Defender as it ages.

13 yrs52.5%

→ ↑1.5%

14 yrs54.0%

→ ↓1.0%

15 yrs53.0%

→ ↓2.7%

16 yrs50.3%

→ ↑1.0%

17 yrs51.3%

→ ↑0.7%

18 yrs52.0%

→ ↑2.2%

19 yrs54.2%

→ ↑0.2%

20 yrs54.4%

→ ↑1.0%

21 yrs55.4%

→ ↑1.3%

22 yrs56.7%

→ ↓0.2%

23 yrs56.5%

→ ↑3.2%

24 yrs59.7%

→ ↑0.7%

25 yrs60.4%

→ ↑0.5%

26 yrs60.9%

→ ↑1.9%

27 yrs62.8%

→ ↑0.6%

28 yrs63.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	52.5%	5,346
14 yrs	54.0%	5,181
15 yrs	53.0%	5,094
16 yrs	50.3%	4,948
17 yrs	51.3%	4,817
18 yrs	52.0%	4,677
19 yrs	54.2%	4,622
20 yrs	54.4%	4,486
21 yrs	55.4%	4,533
22 yrs	56.7%	3,094
23 yrs	56.5%	3,170
24 yrs	59.7%	3,162
25 yrs	60.4%	3,816
26 yrs	60.9%	3,147
27 yrs	62.8%	3,648
28 yrs	63.4%	6,921

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Land Rover Defender pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (28 yrs)	63.4%	6,921
2023 (27 yrs)	62.8%	3,648
2022 (26 yrs)	60.9%	3,147
2021 (25 yrs)	60.4%	3,816
2020 (24 yrs)	59.7%	3,162
2019 (23 yrs)	56.5%	3,170
2018 (22 yrs)	56.7%	3,094
2017 (21 yrs)	55.4%	4,533
2016 (20 yrs)	54.4%	4,486
2015 (19 yrs)	54.2%	4,622
2014 (18 yrs)	52%	4,677
2013 (17 yrs)	51.3%	4,817
2012 (16 yrs)	50.3%	4,948
2011 (15 yrs)	53%	5,094
2010 (14 yrs)	54%	5,181
2009 (13 yrs)	52.5%	5,346

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 5,346Avg Mileage 110,398Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.7%

2010High Fail Rate

54.0%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 5,181Avg Mileage 115,619Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.4%

2011High Fail Rate

53.0%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 5,094Avg Mileage 118,962Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.6%

2012High Fail Rate

50.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 4,948Avg Mileage 122,915Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.9%

2013High Fail Rate

51.3%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 4,817Avg Mileage 125,387Top Failure Suspension — 67.5%

2014High Fail Rate

52.0%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 4,677Avg Mileage 129,602Top Failure Suspension — 69.5%

2015High Fail Rate

54.2%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,622Avg Mileage 133,017Top Failure Suspension — 68.0%

2016High Fail Rate

54.4%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 4,486Avg Mileage 135,843Top Failure Suspension — 66.6%

2017High Fail Rate

55.4%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 4,533Avg Mileage 139,567Top Failure Suspension — 68.9%

2018High Fail Rate

56.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 3,094Avg Mileage 141,985Top Failure Suspension — 62.9%

2019High Fail Rate

56.5%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 3,170Avg Mileage 144,457Top Failure Suspension — 64.1%

2020High Fail Rate

59.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 3,162Avg Mileage 146,182Top Failure Suspension — 63.6%

2021High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 3,816Avg Mileage 148,206Top Failure Suspension — 64.3%

2022High Fail Rate

60.9%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 3,147Avg Mileage 148,395Top Failure Suspension — 61.3%

2023High Fail Rate

62.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 3,648Avg Mileage 150,789Top Failure Suspension — 57.1%

2024High Fail Rate

63.4%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 6,921Avg Mileage 153,602Top Failure Suspension — 44.8%

MOT results for 1996 Land Rover Defender by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	52.5%	5,346	110,398	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.7%
2010	14	54.0%	5,181	115,619	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.4%
2011	15	53.0%	5,094	118,962	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.6%
2012	16	50.3%	4,948	122,915	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.9%
2013	17	51.3%	4,817	125,387	Suspension — 67.5%
2014	18	52.0%	4,677	129,602	Suspension — 69.5%
2015	19	54.2%	4,622	133,017	Suspension — 68.0%
2016	20	54.4%	4,486	135,843	Suspension — 66.6%
2017	21	55.4%	4,533	139,567	Suspension — 68.9%
2018	22	56.7%	3,094	141,985	Suspension — 62.9%
2019	23	56.5%	3,170	144,457	Suspension — 64.1%
2020	24	59.7%	3,162	146,182	Suspension — 63.6%
2021	25	60.4%	3,816	148,206	Suspension — 64.3%
2022	26	60.9%	3,147	148,395	Suspension — 61.3%
2023	27	62.8%	3,648	150,789	Suspension — 57.1%
2024	28	63.4%	6,921	153,602	Suspension — 44.8%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Land Rover Defender, with age trends.

Suspension

53.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

45.7%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

45.3%

— Consistent

Brakes

37.5%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

35.9%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	24.3% (13 yrs)	44.8% (28 yrs)	+20.5%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	20.9% (13 yrs)	29.5% (28 yrs)	+8.6%	🔴 ↑
Steering	18.3% (13 yrs)	20.7% (28 yrs)	+2.4%	🔴 ↑

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 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 70,662 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.