2003 Land Rover Defender — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2003 perform at MOT as they age

23 years

Current Age

65.8%

Latest Pass Rate

78,002

Total Tests (All Years)

130,124 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 2003 Land Rover Defender as it ages.

6 yrs69.1%

→ ↓2.5%

7 yrs66.6%

→ ↓2.8%

8 yrs63.8%

→ ↓2.4%

9 yrs61.4%

→ ↓0.1%

10 yrs61.3%

→ ↓1.3%

11 yrs60.0%

→ ↑0.4%

12 yrs60.4%

→ ↓0.4%

13 yrs60.0%

→ ↑1.1%

14 yrs61.1%

→ ↓1.0%

15 yrs60.1%

→ ↑0.5%

16 yrs60.6%

→ ↑0.2%

17 yrs60.8%

→ ↑0.6%

18 yrs61.4%

→ ↑0.9%

19 yrs62.3%

→ ↑1.2%

20 yrs63.5%

→ ↑2.3%

21 yrs65.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
6 yrs	69.1%	5,629
7 yrs	66.6%	5,503
8 yrs	63.8%	5,498
9 yrs	61.4%	5,374
10 yrs	61.3%	5,340
11 yrs	60.0%	5,204
12 yrs	60.4%	5,189
13 yrs	60.0%	5,112
14 yrs	61.1%	5,116
15 yrs	60.1%	3,607
16 yrs	60.6%	3,752
17 yrs	60.8%	3,735
18 yrs	61.4%	4,732
19 yrs	62.3%	3,809
20 yrs	63.5%	4,581
21 yrs	65.8%	5,821

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2003 Land Rover Defender pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (21 yrs)	65.8%	5,821
2023 (20 yrs)	63.5%	4,581
2022 (19 yrs)	62.3%	3,809
2021 (18 yrs)	61.4%	4,732
2020 (17 yrs)	60.8%	3,735
2019 (16 yrs)	60.6%	3,752
2018 (15 yrs)	60.1%	3,607
2017 (14 yrs)	61.1%	5,116
2016 (13 yrs)	60%	5,112
2015 (12 yrs)	60.4%	5,189
2014 (11 yrs)	60%	5,204
2013 (10 yrs)	61.3%	5,340
2012 (9 yrs)	61.4%	5,374
2011 (8 yrs)	63.8%	5,498
2010 (7 yrs)	66.6%	5,503
2009 (6 yrs)	69.1%	5,629

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

69.1%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 5,629Avg Mileage 65,783Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.2%

2010

66.6%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 5,503Avg Mileage 73,100Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.2%

2011High Fail Rate

63.8%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 5,498Avg Mileage 80,399Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.0%

2012High Fail Rate

61.4%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 5,374Avg Mileage 85,525Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.5%

2013High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 5,340Avg Mileage 91,769Top Failure Brakes — 45.1%

2014High Fail Rate

60.0%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 5,204Avg Mileage 96,677Top Failure Brakes — 48.0%

2015High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 5,189Avg Mileage 100,191Top Failure Brakes — 45.6%

2016High Fail Rate

60.0%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 5,112Avg Mileage 104,780Top Failure Brakes — 44.1%

2017High Fail Rate

61.1%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 5,116Avg Mileage 108,312Top Failure Brakes — 46.7%

2018High Fail Rate

60.1%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 3,607Avg Mileage 111,144Top Failure Brakes — 50.5%

2019High Fail Rate

60.6%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 3,752Avg Mileage 115,001Top Failure Brakes — 47.8%

2020High Fail Rate

60.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 3,735Avg Mileage 117,998Top Failure Brakes — 45.9%

2021High Fail Rate

61.4%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 4,732Avg Mileage 122,152Top Failure Suspension — 48.3%

2022High Fail Rate

62.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 3,809Avg Mileage 123,822Top Failure Suspension — 46.4%

2023High Fail Rate

63.5%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 4,581Avg Mileage 125,938Top Failure Suspension — 47.8%

2024

65.8%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 5,821Avg Mileage 130,124Top Failure Suspension — 38.1%

MOT results for 2003 Land Rover Defender by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	6	69.1%	5,629	65,783	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.2%
2010	7	66.6%	5,503	73,100	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.2%
2011	8	63.8%	5,498	80,399	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.0%
2012	9	61.4%	5,374	85,525	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.5%
2013	10	61.3%	5,340	91,769	Brakes — 45.1%
2014	11	60.0%	5,204	96,677	Brakes — 48.0%
2015	12	60.4%	5,189	100,191	Brakes — 45.6%
2016	13	60.0%	5,112	104,780	Brakes — 44.1%
2017	14	61.1%	5,116	108,312	Brakes — 46.7%
2018	15	60.1%	3,607	111,144	Brakes — 50.5%
2019	16	60.6%	3,752	115,001	Brakes — 47.8%
2020	17	60.8%	3,735	117,998	Brakes — 45.9%
2021	18	61.4%	4,732	122,152	Suspension — 48.3%
2022	19	62.3%	3,809	123,822	Suspension — 46.4%
2023	20	63.5%	4,581	125,938	Suspension — 47.8%
2024	21	65.8%	5,821	130,124	Suspension — 38.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2003 Land Rover Defender, with age trends.

Brakes

37.6%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

34.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

32.7%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

28.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

21.3%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	9.5% (6 yrs)	38.1% (21 yrs)	+28.6%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	10.7% (6 yrs)	32.5% (21 yrs)	+21.8%	🔴 ↑
Steering	7.8% (6 yrs)	20.6% (21 yrs)	+12.8%	🔴 ↑

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 2003 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 78,002 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.