1997 Land Rover Defender — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

65.4%

Latest Pass Rate

64,744

Total Tests (All Years)

146,905 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 1997 Land Rover Defender as it ages.

12 yrs55.3%

→ ↓1.2%

13 yrs54.1%

→ ↓1.2%

14 yrs52.9%

→ ↓2.3%

15 yrs50.6%

→ ↑0.5%

16 yrs51.1%

→ ↑2.5%

17 yrs53.6%

→ ↑0.8%

18 yrs54.4%

→ ↓0.1%

19 yrs54.3%

→ ↑2.3%

20 yrs56.6%

→ ↑0.9%

21 yrs57.5%

→ ↑1.3%

22 yrs58.8%

→ ↑1.9%

23 yrs60.7%

→ ↓1.5%

24 yrs59.2%

→ ↑2.2%

25 yrs61.4%

→ ↑1.0%

26 yrs62.4%

→ ↑3.0%

27 yrs65.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	55.3%	4,712
13 yrs	54.1%	4,579
14 yrs	52.9%	4,568
15 yrs	50.6%	4,469
16 yrs	51.1%	4,325
17 yrs	53.6%	4,283
18 yrs	54.4%	4,196
19 yrs	54.3%	4,112
20 yrs	56.6%	4,136
21 yrs	57.5%	2,880
22 yrs	58.8%	3,009
23 yrs	60.7%	2,942
24 yrs	59.2%	3,463
25 yrs	61.4%	3,027
26 yrs	62.4%	3,552
27 yrs	65.4%	6,491

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Land Rover Defender pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	65.4%	6,491
2023 (26 yrs)	62.4%	3,552
2022 (25 yrs)	61.4%	3,027
2021 (24 yrs)	59.2%	3,463
2020 (23 yrs)	60.7%	2,942
2019 (22 yrs)	58.8%	3,009
2018 (21 yrs)	57.5%	2,880
2017 (20 yrs)	56.6%	4,136
2016 (19 yrs)	54.3%	4,112
2015 (18 yrs)	54.4%	4,196
2014 (17 yrs)	53.6%	4,283
2013 (16 yrs)	51.1%	4,325
2012 (15 yrs)	50.6%	4,469
2011 (14 yrs)	52.9%	4,568
2010 (13 yrs)	54.1%	4,579
2009 (12 yrs)	55.3%	4,712

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

55.3%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 4,712Avg Mileage 103,748Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%

2010High Fail Rate

54.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 4,579Avg Mileage 108,285Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.4%

2011High Fail Rate

52.9%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 4,568Avg Mileage 112,618Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.0%

2012High Fail Rate

50.6%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 4,469Avg Mileage 117,163Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%

2013High Fail Rate

51.1%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 4,325Avg Mileage 120,643Top Failure Suspension — 70.0%

2014High Fail Rate

53.6%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 4,283Avg Mileage 124,393Top Failure Suspension — 69.4%

2015High Fail Rate

54.4%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 4,196Avg Mileage 128,174Top Failure Suspension — 68.9%

2016High Fail Rate

54.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,112Avg Mileage 131,172Top Failure Suspension — 65.9%

2017High Fail Rate

56.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 4,136Avg Mileage 135,008Top Failure Suspension — 70.4%

2018High Fail Rate

57.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,880Avg Mileage 136,163Top Failure Suspension — 61.6%

2019High Fail Rate

58.8%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 3,009Avg Mileage 139,815Top Failure Suspension — 64.4%

2020High Fail Rate

60.7%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 2,942Avg Mileage 139,602Top Failure Suspension — 61.8%

2021High Fail Rate

59.2%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 3,463Avg Mileage 142,739Top Failure Suspension — 68.3%

2022High Fail Rate

61.4%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 3,027Avg Mileage 140,527Top Failure Suspension — 61.4%

2023High Fail Rate

62.4%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 3,552Avg Mileage 142,787Top Failure Suspension — 61.1%

2024

65.4%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 6,491Avg Mileage 146,905Top Failure Suspension — 44.6%

MOT results for 1997 Land Rover Defender by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	55.3%	4,712	103,748	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.3%
2010	13	54.1%	4,579	108,285	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.4%
2011	14	52.9%	4,568	112,618	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 29.0%
2012	15	50.6%	4,469	117,163	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%
2013	16	51.1%	4,325	120,643	Suspension — 70.0%
2014	17	53.6%	4,283	124,393	Suspension — 69.4%
2015	18	54.4%	4,196	128,174	Suspension — 68.9%
2016	19	54.3%	4,112	131,172	Suspension — 65.9%
2017	20	56.6%	4,136	135,008	Suspension — 70.4%
2018	21	57.5%	2,880	136,163	Suspension — 61.6%
2019	22	58.8%	3,009	139,815	Suspension — 64.4%
2020	23	60.7%	2,942	139,602	Suspension — 61.8%
2021	24	59.2%	3,463	142,739	Suspension — 68.3%
2022	25	61.4%	3,027	140,527	Suspension — 61.4%
2023	26	62.4%	3,552	142,787	Suspension — 61.1%
2024	27	65.4%	6,491	146,905	Suspension — 44.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Land Rover Defender, with age trends.

Suspension

54.1%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

44.2%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

43.9%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

36.4%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

34.1%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	22.6% (12 yrs)	44.6% (27 yrs)	+22.0%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	19.9% (12 yrs)	27.8% (27 yrs)	+7.9%	🔴 ↑
Steering	17.4% (12 yrs)	20.2% (27 yrs)	+2.8%	🔴 ↑

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 64,744 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.