The Discovery. Once age and mileage are allowed for, Discoveries pass the MOT first time 2.7 points more often than Defenders. The best bets are Discoveries registered from 2005 to 2020, and Defenders registered 2005 to 2016 and 2020 to 2022. Avoid Discoveries registered in 2022.
| Land Rover Discovery | Land Rover Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| Passed first time, cars registered 2014 to 2021 | 82.7% | 84.0% |
| Against the average car of the same age and mileage | +6.3 points | +3.6 points |
| Years to avoid | 2022 | None stand out |
| Best years | 2005 to 2020 | 2005 to 2016 and 2020 to 2022 |
| Fails most often, against the average car | No area stands out | Steering: 2.1 times as often |
| Most common failure | Suspension pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn | Sidelights and rear lights: not working |
| MOTs in 2025 | 126,302 | 70,635 |
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 | Defender | Better bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +10.3Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | +10.2Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Either |
| 2006 | +8.0Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | +9.6Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Defender |
| 2007 | +9.2Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | +9.4Shock absorbers (has an excessively worn bush) | Either |
| 2008 | +10.3Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | +10.5Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Either |
| 2009 | +11.7Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +8.9Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Discovery |
| 2010 | +14.1Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +7.4Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Discovery |
| 2011 | +12.9Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +6.4Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Discovery |
| 2012 | +12.5Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +4.8Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Discovery |
| 2013 | +11.7Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +3.2Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Discovery |
| 2014 | +11.4Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +3.4Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Discovery |
| 2015 | +10.8Number plate light (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps) | +2.8Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Discovery |
| 2016 | +8.3Number plate light (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps) | +3.0Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | Discovery |
| 2017 | +5.9Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Too few MOTs | |
| 2018 | +7.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2019 | +5.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Too few MOTs | |
| 2020 | +2.1Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +3.6Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Either |
| 2021 | −0.1Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | +4.6Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Defender |
| 2022 | −2.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +4.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Defender |
How often each passed the MOT first time against the average car of the same age and mileage, in points. Over 120,000 miles: Discoveries 10.2 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, Defenders 8.5 points above.
| Discovery | Defender | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30k miles | −2.1 | +3.5 | Defender |
| 30–60k miles | +2.4 | +4.1 | Defender |
| 60–90k miles | +8.7 | +6.2 | Discovery |
| 90–120k miles | +10.8 | +9.1 | Discovery |
| 120k+ miles | +10.2 | +8.5 | Discovery |
| Discovery | Defender | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | +3.2 | +3.9 | Either |
| Diesel | +8.3 | +5.8 | Discovery |
| Hybrid | −4.9 | +3.5 | Defender |
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: failed | Against average | Defender: failed | Against average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 7.0% | 0.6× | 5.1% | 0.6× |
| Steering | 1.1% | 0.5× | 4.0% | 2.1× |
| Brakes | 6.4% | 0.9× | 5.6% | 0.9× |
| Tyres | 5.0% | 0.7× | 2.2% | 0.4× |
| Lights & electrics | 7.1% | 0.6× | 11.0% | 1.0× |
| Visibility | 3.0% | 0.6× | 4.1% | 0.9× |
| Body & structure | 4.2% | 1.0× | 2.9% | 0.8× |
| Emissions & leaks | 1.7% | 0.4× | 1.7% | 0.5× |
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 Defenders 3.6 points above: 2.7 points between them.
+6.3points against the average car of the same age and mileage
+3.6points 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 84.0% of Defenders, 3.6 points above.
Going by 2025 MOT results, 2022. Those cars passed first time −2.0 points against the average car of the same age and mileage.
None stand out: every registration year is within 1.5 points of the average car of the same age and mileage, or ahead of it.
Over 120,000 miles: Discoveries 10.2 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, Defenders 8.5 points above. So the Discovery holds up better.
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. Defender: sidelights and rear lights (not working), on 2.8% of MOTs against 2.7% 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: 126,302 Discovery MOTs and 70,635 Defender 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.