The Range Rover. Once age and mileage are allowed for, Range Rovers pass the MOT first time 2.4 points more often than Discoveries. The best bets are Discoveries registered from 2005 to 2020, and Range Rovers registered from 2005 onwards. Avoid Discoveries registered in 2022.
| Land Rover Discovery | Range Rover | |
|---|---|---|
| Passed first time, cars registered 2014 to 2021 | 82.7% | 85.2% |
| Against the average car of the same age and mileage | +6.3 points | +8.7 points |
| Years to avoid | 2022 | None stand out |
| Best years | 2005 to 2020 | 2005 to 2022 |
| Fails most often, against the average car | No area stands out | Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems: 1.3 times as often |
| Most common failure | Suspension pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn | Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick |
| MOTs in 2025 | 126,302 | 77,172 |
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 | Range Rover | Better bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +10.3Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | +14.9Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | Range Rover |
| 2006 | +8.0Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | +13.6Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | Range Rover |
| 2007 | +9.2Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | +14.5Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | Range Rover |
| 2008 | +10.3Sidelights and rear lights (not working) | +15.5Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | Range Rover |
| 2009 | +11.7Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +15.7Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | Range Rover |
| 2010 | +14.1Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +16.9Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | Range Rover |
| 2011 | +12.9Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +14.3Drive shaft joints and CV boots (constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt) | Either |
| 2012 | +12.5Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +12.9Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | Either |
| 2013 | +11.7Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +14.4Brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) | Range Rover |
| 2014 | +11.4Suspension pins and bushes (pin or bush excessively worn) | +16.3Brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick) | Range Rover |
| 2015 | +10.8Number plate light (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps) | +12.5Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Range Rover |
| 2016 | +8.3Number plate light (inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps) | +7.9Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Either |
| 2017 | +5.9Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | +7.7Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Range Rover |
| 2018 | +7.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +8.3Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Either |
| 2019 | +5.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +6.1Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Either |
| 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) | Range Rover |
| 2021 | −0.1Windscreen wipers (does not clear the windscreen effectively) | +2.8Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Range Rover |
| 2022 | −2.0Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | +1.9Tyre damage (has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords) | Range Rover |
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, Range Rovers 13.8 points above.
| Discovery | Range Rover | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30k miles | −2.1 | +1.8 | Range Rover |
| 30–60k miles | +2.4 | +5.8 | Range Rover |
| 60–90k miles | +8.7 | +11.4 | Range Rover |
| 90–120k miles | +10.8 | +14.7 | Range Rover |
| 120k+ miles | +10.2 | +13.8 | Range Rover |
| Discovery | Range Rover | Better bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | +3.2 | +10.2 | Range Rover |
| Diesel | +8.3 | +11.3 | Range Rover |
| Hybrid | −4.9 | +4.1 | Range Rover |
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 | Range Rover: failed | Against average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 7.0% | 0.6× | 6.6% | 0.6× |
| Steering | 1.1% | 0.5× | 0.6% | 0.3× |
| Brakes | 6.4% | 0.9× | 5.2% | 0.7× |
| Tyres | 5.0% | 0.7× | 4.9% | 0.7× |
| Lights & electrics | 7.1% | 0.6× | 3.5% | 0.3× |
| Visibility | 3.0% | 0.6× | 2.4% | 0.5× |
| Body & structure | 4.2% | 1.0× | 2.9% | 0.8× |
| Emissions & leaks | 1.7% | 0.4× | 1.5% | 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 Range Rover
For cars registered 2014 to 2021, Range Rovers passed the MOT first time 8.7 points above the average car of the same age and mileage and Discoveries 6.3 points above: 2.4 points between them.
+6.3points against the average car of the same age and mileage
+8.7points against the average car of the same age and mileage
Going by the MOT, the Range Rover is. For cars registered 2014 to 2021, 85.2% of Range Rovers passed first time, 8.7 points above the average car of the same age and mileage, against 82.7% of Discoveries, 6.3 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, Range Rovers 13.8 points above. So the Range Rover 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. Range Rover: brake pads (less than 1.5 mm thick), on 1.8% of MOTs against 2.0% 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 77,172 Range Rover 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.