No clear winner. Once age and mileage are allowed for, they pass the MOT first time less than 1.5 points apart. The best bets are Discovery Sports registered from 2015 to 2018, and Velars registered from 2017 to 2018. Avoid Discovery Sports registered from 2020 onwards, and Velars registered in 2022.
| Land Rover Discovery Sport | Range Rover Velar | |
|---|---|---|
| Passed first time, cars registered 2014 to 2021 | 81.0% | 84.3% |
| Against the average car of the same age and mileage | +3.2 points | +2.1 points |
| Years to avoid | 2020 to 2022 | 2022 |
| Best years | 2015 to 2018 | 2017 to 2018 |
| Fails most often, against the average car | Emissions and leaks: 1.5 times as often | Steering: 3.3 times as often |
| Most common failure | Tyre damage: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Windscreen wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively |
| MOTs in 2025 | 110,044 | 36,970 |
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 | Velar | Better bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +9.6Brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2016 | +5.7Brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2017 | +4.3Brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) | +4.8Track rod ends (ball joint has excessive play) | Either |
| 2018 | +2.2Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +3.9Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Velar |
| 2019 | −0.5Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +1.0Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Velar |
| 2020 | −2.9Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +0.6Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Velar |
| 2021 | −4.0Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | −0.7Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Velar |
| 2022 | −5.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | −3.6Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | Either |
How often each passed the MOT first time against the average car of the same age and mileage, in points. 90,000 to 120,000 miles: Discovery Sports 6.9 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, Velars 5.0 points above.
| Discovery Sport | Velar | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30k miles | −1.7 | −2.9 | Either |
| 30–60k miles | +1.0 | +1.4 | Either |
| 60–90k miles | +4.5 | +3.8 | Either |
| 90–120k miles | +6.9 | +5.0 | Discovery Sport |
| Discovery Sport | Velar | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | −1.1 | +1.3 | Velar |
| Diesel | +3.5 | +1.6 | Discovery Sport |
| Hybrid | −3.1 | −3.3 | Either |
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 | Velar: failed | Against average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 2.5% | 0.5× | 0.9% | 0.4× |
| Steering | 0.1% | 0.1× | 1.9% | 3.3× |
| Brakes | 3.4% | 0.8× | 2.4% | 0.7× |
| Tyres | 5.9% | 0.9× | 4.9% | 0.9× |
| Lights & electrics | 5.0% | 0.8× | 2.5% | 0.6× |
| Visibility | 3.2% | 1.0× | 3.8% | 1.3× |
| Body & structure | 0.6% | 0.4× | 0.3% | 0.5× |
| Emissions & leaks | 3.2% | 1.5× | 2.1% | 1.7× |
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.
No clear winner
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, Discovery Sports passed the MOT first time 3.2 points above the average car of the same age and mileage and Velars 2.1 points above: less than 1.5 points apart. Choose by year, mileage and fuel instead.
+3.2points against the average car of the same age and mileage
+2.1points against the average car of the same age and mileage
There's no clear winner at the MOT. For cars registered 2014 to 2021, 81.0% of Discovery Sports passed first time, 3.2 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, and 84.3% of Velars, 2.1 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 −3.6 points against the average car of the same age and mileage.
90,000 to 120,000 miles: Discovery Sports 6.9 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, Velars 5.0 points above. So the Discovery Sport 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. Velar: windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively), on 2.9% of MOTs against 1.7% 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 36,970 Velar 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.