The Discovery. Once age and mileage are allowed for, Discoveries pass the MOT first time 3.1 points more often than Discovery Sports. The best bets are Discovery Sports registered from 2015 to 2018, and Discoveries registered from 2005 to 2020. Avoid Discovery Sports registered from 2020 onwards, and Discoveries registered in 2022.
| Land Rover Discovery Sport | Land Rover Discovery | |
|---|---|---|
| Passed first time, cars registered 2014 to 2021 | 81.0% | 82.7% |
| Against the average car of the same age and mileage | +3.2 points | +6.3 points |
| Years to avoid | 2020 to 2022 | 2022 |
| Best years | 2015 to 2018 | 2005 to 2020 |
| Fails most often, against the average car | Emissions and leaks: 1.5 times as often | No area stands out |
| Most common failure | Tyre damage: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Suspension pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn |
| MOTs in 2025 | 110,044 | 126,302 |
How often cars from each registration year passed the MOT first time, against the average car of the same age and mileage. The figure is the difference in percentage points.
Each block is a registration year: the year the car was first used. Tap or hover over one for its figures. Blank means too few MOTs that year.
Points against the average car of the same age and mileage, with each year's most common failure. Less than 1.5 points apart counts as either.
| Registered | Discovery Sport | Discovery | Better bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Too few MOTs | +10.3Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | |
| 2006 | Too few MOTs | +8.0Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | |
| 2007 | Too few MOTs | +9.2Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | |
| 2008 | Too few MOTs | +10.3Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | |
| 2009 | Too few MOTs | +11.7Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | |
| 2010 | Too few MOTs | +14.1Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | |
| 2011 | Too few MOTs | +12.9Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | |
| 2012 | Too few MOTs | +12.5Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | |
| 2013 | Too few MOTs | +11.7Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | |
| 2014 | Too few MOTs | +11.4Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | |
| 2015 | +9.6Brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) | +10.8Number plate light (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps) | Either |
| 2016 | +5.7Brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) | +8.3Number plate light (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps) | Discovery |
| 2017 | +4.3Brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) | +5.9Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Discovery |
| 2018 | +2.2Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +7.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Discovery |
| 2019 | −0.5Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +5.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Discovery |
| 2020 | −2.9Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +2.1Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Discovery |
| 2021 | −4.0Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | −0.1Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Discovery |
| 2022 | −5.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | −2.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Discovery |
How often each passed the MOT first time against the average car of the same age and mileage, in points. Over 120,000 miles: Discovery Sports 6.1 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, Discoveries 10.2 points above.
| Discovery Sport | Discovery | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30k miles | −1.7 | −2.1 | Either |
| 30–60k miles | +1.0 | +2.4 | Either |
| 60–90k miles | +4.5 | +8.7 | Discovery |
| 90–120k miles | +6.9 | +10.8 | Discovery |
| 120k+ miles | +6.1 | +10.2 | Discovery |
| Discovery Sport | Discovery | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | −1.1 | +3.2 | Discovery |
| Diesel | +3.5 | +8.3 | Discovery |
| Hybrid | −3.1 | −4.9 | Discovery Sport |
Each fuel is compared with the average car of the same age and mileage, whatever its fuel. Rows with fewer than 500 MOTs for either car are left out.
How often each failed on every area of the test, against the average car of the same age and mileage. All registration years.
| Area | Discovery Sport: failed | Against average | Discovery: failed | Against average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 2.5% | 0.5× | 7.0% | 0.6× |
| Steering | 0.1% | 0.1× | 1.1% | 0.5× |
| Brakes | 3.4% | 0.8× | 6.4% | 0.9× |
| Tyres | 5.9% | 0.9× | 5.0% | 0.7× |
| Lights & electrics | 5.0% | 0.8× | 7.1% | 0.6× |
| Visibility | 3.2% | 1.0× | 3.0% | 0.6× |
| Body & structure | 0.6% | 0.4× | 4.2% | 1.0× |
| Emissions & leaks | 3.2% | 1.5× | 1.7% | 0.4× |
The failures testers found most often on each, against the average car of the same age and mileage. Both charts use the same scale.
What testers most often noted as advisories on each: wear that passed but was close to failing. Figures in brackets are for the average car of the same age and mileage.
The Discovery
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, Discoveries passed the MOT first time 6.3 points above the average car of the same age and mileage and Discovery Sports 3.2 points above: 3.1 points between them.
+3.2points against the average car of the same age and mileage
+6.3points against the average car of the same age and mileage
Going by the MOT, the Discovery is. For cars registered 2014 to 2021, 82.7% of Discoveries passed first time, 6.3 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, against 81.0% of Discovery Sports, 3.2 points above.
Going by 2025 MOT results, 2020 to 2022. Those cars passed first time −2.9 to −5.0 points against the average car of the same age and mileage.
Going by 2025 MOT results, 2022. Those cars passed first time −2.0 points against the average car of the same age and mileage.
Over 120,000 miles: Discovery Sports 6.1 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, Discoveries 10.2 points above. So the Discovery holds up better.
Discovery Sport: tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords), on 2.4% of MOTs against 1.5% for the average car of the same age and mileage. Discovery: suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn), on 3.2% of MOTs against 1.5% for the average car of the same age and mileage.
Data. Every car MOT in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT test data: 110,044 Discovery Sport MOTs and 126,302 Discovery MOTs. Retests are left out.
Against the average car. Each model is compared with the average car of the same age and mileage, not with each other directly, so a newer or lower-mileage model doesn't win for that alone.
Which is more reliable. The answer uses cars registered 2014 to 2021, the same years for both, as the rivals table on each model page does. Less than 1.5 points apart counts as level.