Land Rover Discovery MOT pass rate: 77.2% (124,039 tests, 2025)

The Land Rover Discovery passed 77.2% of its 124,039 MOT tests in 2025 — right on the UK average of 77.5%. The median tested example was 14 years old with 123,804 miles on the clock.
77.2%Pass rate (2025)
124,039MOT tests analysed
123,804 miMedian mileage at test
14 yrsMedian age at test

How the Discovery compares

Land Rover Discovery

77.2%

UK average (all Class 4 vehicles)

77.5% across 33.1 million tests

Land Rover average (all models)

81.1%

What fails most on the Land Rover Discovery

Across failed and rectified tests in 2025, these vehicle systems produced the most defects on the Discovery:

#SystemDefects recordedShare
1Suspension21,10825.4%
2Brakes18,43622.2%
3Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment14,37517.3%
4Body, chassis, structure11,93914.4%
5Tyres6,8218.2%
6Visibility3,9064.7%

Pre-MOT checklist for Discovery owners

Based on the failure profile above, ten minutes with a torch before your test removes the most likely fail items:

  • Bounce each corner and listen for clonks over speed bumps — suspension is this model’s (and the UK’s) top failure system
  • Feel for a spongy pedal or pulling to one side; check pad wear through the wheel spokes if visible
  • Walk round with all lights on: one blown bulb is the most avoidable fail there is
  • Look underneath for corrosion around sills and subframes, especially on older cars
  • Check tread with the 20p test and inspect sidewalls for cracking — tyres close to the limit are the country’s most common advisory
Check the engine before the tester does

A stored fault code with the engine light on is an automatic Major defect. Scan and clear resolved faults before booking.

Discovery pass rate by registration year

Lower age-adjusted outliers to inspect carefully: 2019. Strongest age-adjusted years: 2010, 2011. Full ranking and method: Land Rover Discovery years to avoid.

Registration yearTestsPass rateVs same-ageMedian mileage
2001 10,510 69.6% +2.9 pts 152,249
2002 13,376 70.3% +4.6 pts 151,921
2003 16,601 71.2% +6.1 pts 145,557
2004 18,765 70.3% +5.9 pts 148,473
2005 22,854 70.2% +5.7 pts 161,023
2006 22,563 69.0% +4.6 pts 157,023
2007 19,470 70.3% +5.2 pts 149,277
2008 14,477 71.3% +6.1 pts 145,036
2009 15,227 72.0% +5.6 pts 138,759
2010 18,812 74.3% +7.0 pts 133,508
2011 17,817 76.2% +7.0 pts 126,731
2012 20,130 77.4% +6.2 pts 118,330
2013 18,827 78.6% +5.2 pts 111,881
2014 22,068 80.6% +4.8 pts 100,681
2015 27,303 82.9% +4.2 pts 91,542
2016 28,875 84.3% +2.9 pts 79,414
2017 29,046 85.2% +1.2 pts 66,584
2018 25,076 87.9% +1.5 pts 59,771
2019 6,459 88.1% -0.3 pts 53,498

Check a specific Discovery before you buy

Pass rates describe the model; they can’t tell you about the one car you’re looking at. Run its plate through our free MOT history check to see its personal record of failures, advisories and mileage readings.

Other Land Rover models

Range Rover Evoque83.5% pass rate · 129,387 tests Freelander70.8% pass rate · 110,042 tests Range Rover Sport82.9% pass rate · 108,892 tests Defender74.1% pass rate · 97,893 tests Discovery Sport84.4% pass rate · 89,568 tests Range Rover81.1% pass rate · 79,119 tests Range Rover Velar86.8% pass rate · 27,440 tests Range Rover Evoque R-Dyn S D A87.7% pass rate · 6,101 tests

FAQs

What is the MOT pass rate for a Land Rover Discovery?

In 2025, 77.2% of 124,039 first MOT tests on the Land Rover Discovery were passes (UK average: 77.5%). Data: DVSA anonymised MOT results.

What does the Discovery fail its MOT on most?

The biggest defect group is suspension (25.4% of its recorded defects), followed by brakes.

Is the Land Rover Discovery reliable?

MOT pass rate is one lens on durability: at 77.2% it performs below the national average at a median age of 14 years and 123,804 miles. Always check the individual car's history too.

Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 extract (Class 4 initial tests only; retests excluded). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures rounded to one decimal place.