Land Rover Defender vs Land Rover R: MOT reliability compared
Updated 05 September 2026.
10.8%
Land Rover R MOT failure rate, 16.4 pts lower than Land Rover Defender
Land Rover R is the more reliable MOT performer: 10.8% of Land Rover R MOTs fail versus 27.2% for Land Rover Defender, a 16.4 point gap.
| Metric | Land Rover Defender | Land Rover R |
|---|---|---|
| MOT failure rate | 27.2% | 10.8% |
| Tests analysed | 3,073,987 | 123,986 |
| Most common failure | Lamps & electrical (42.5%) | Tyres (43.5%) |
Questions and answers
Which is more reliable, Land Rover Defender or Land Rover R?
Land Rover R is the more reliable MOT performer: 10.8% of Land Rover R MOTs fail versus 27.2% for Land Rover Defender, a 16.4 point gap.
What is the MOT failure rate of the Land Rover Defender?
27.2% of Land Rover Defender MOT tests result in a failure, from 3,073,987 tests.
What is the MOT failure rate of the Land Rover R?
10.8% of Land Rover R MOT tests result in a failure, from 123,986 tests.