Land rover Defender
Reliability, running costs, and MOT data across 29 years from 203,426 real MOT tests.
Avg Pass Rate
80%
Total Tests
203,426
Best Year
2021 (97%)
Years Covered
29
How reliable is the Land rover Defender?
Land rover Defender by Year
| Year | Pass Rate | Tests | Avg Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 97% | 180 | 42,929 mi |
| 2020 | 97% | 156 | 35,400 mi |
| 2016 | 91% | 3,316 | 35,776 mi |
| 2015 | 89% | 12,411 | 48,785 mi |
| 2014 | 87% | 10,525 | 59,995 mi |
| 2013 | 84% | 8,186 | 66,606 mi |
| 2012 | 83% | 7,139 | 71,959 mi |
| 2011 | 81% | 7,345 | 82,891 mi |
| 2010 | 80% | 7,290 | 85,020 mi |
| 2009 | 79% | 6,584 | 90,754 mi |
| 2008 | 81% | 7,024 | 98,525 mi |
| 2007 | 79% | 7,656 | 101,926 mi |
| 2006 | 78% | 6,868 | 109,686 mi |
| 2005 | 77% | 7,581 | 112,742 mi |
| 2004 | 77% | 7,976 | 120,020 mi |
| 2003 | 77% | 8,035 | 129,000 mi |
| 2002 | 77% | 6,870 | 132,092 mi |
| 2001 | 75% | 5,673 | 131,257 mi |
| 2000 | 75% | 5,304 | 134,243 mi |
| 1999 | 75% | 8,887 | 140,417 mi |
| 1998 | 76% | 10,516 | 136,993 mi |
| 1997 | 76% | 10,084 | 146,489 mi |
| 1996 | 74% | 10,767 | 153,542 mi |
| 1995 | 74% | 9,229 | 143,046 mi |
| 1994 | 74% | 7,092 | 141,555 mi |
| 1993 | 76% | 5,910 | 137,101 mi |
| 1992 | 74% | 4,530 | 143,915 mi |
| 1991 | 76% | 5,265 | 141,354 mi |
| 1990 | 75% | 5,027 | 142,154 mi |
Checking a specific Land rover Defender?
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About the Land rover Defender
The Land rover Defender has been tested 203,426 times in 2024 MOT data across 29 model years (1990 to 2021), with an average pass rate of 80%. That's close to the national average of 82%. Available as diesel and LP and hybrid.
Best and Worst Years
The 2021 model is the most reliable with a 97% pass rate from 180 tests. The 1996 model has the lowest at 74%. With a 23 point spread, choosing the right year makes a big difference to reliability.
Reliability Trend
Newer LAND ROVER DEFENDERs show better MOT pass rates than older ones, with an average improvement of 9 percentage points.
Mileage Across Years
The oldest model in our data (1990) averages 142,154 miles, while the newest (2021) averages 42,929 miles. Older models have covered serious mileage, so suspension and drivetrain wear are worth checking.
Compared to the Land rover brand average of 90%, the Defender is 10 points lower, placing it among the less reliable Land rover models.
Click any year in the table above to see detailed running costs, individual reliability data, and comparisons with similar cars.