2020 Land Rover Defender S D Auto — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,267 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Land Rover Defender S D Auto, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental. Its pass rate of 93.4% was above the average for cars of a similar age (90.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 16.7% in the 90-120k group versus 5.1% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.0% | 68 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.4% | 32 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 30 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.1% | 25 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.9% | 21 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.9% | 20 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 45 |
| 2 | Registration plates | 34 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 29 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 18 |
| 5 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 15 |
| 6 | Wipers | 14 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 12.8% | 289 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.4% | 282 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.2% | 95 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.7% | 84 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 21 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 19 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 791 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,215 | 7.1% |
| 60-90k | 231 | 7.8% |
| 90-120k | 30 | 16.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 738 | 6.5% |
| 2024 | 752 | 6.9% |
| 2025 | 756 | 6.5% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Defender S D Auto
Before buying a 2020 Land Rover Defender S D Auto, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 3.0% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (3.0% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (1.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (1.3% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2020 Land Rover Defender S D Autos pass their MOT?
93.4% of the 2,267 2020 Land Rover Defender S D Auto MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Land Rover Defender S D Auto?
Tyres, recorded in 3.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.4%).
Does the 2020 Defender S D Auto get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.1% in the 0-30k band to 16.7% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,267 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.