2021 Land Rover Defender Hard Top D Mhev A — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 744 MOT tests analysed for the 2021 Land Rover Defender Hard Top D Mhev A, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental. Its pass rate of 93.4% was above the average for cars of a similar age (91.2%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.5% | 19 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 13 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 12 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.2% | 9 |
| 5 | Visibility | 0.9% | 7 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.7% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 11 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 10 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 8 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 7 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 6 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 5 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 16.1% | 120 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.5% | 63 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.2% | 31 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.0% | 22 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 7 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 3 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 157 | 3.8% |
| 30-60k | 414 | 8.2% |
| 60-90k | 143 | 5.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 371 | 6.2% |
| 2025 | 365 | 6.9% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Defender Hard Top D Mhev A
Before buying a 2021 Land Rover Defender Hard Top D Mhev A, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 2.5% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (2.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (1.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (1.6% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2021 Land Rover Defender Hard Top D Mhev As pass their MOT?
93.4% of the 744 2021 Land Rover Defender Hard Top D Mhev A MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Land Rover Defender Hard Top D Mhev A?
Tyres, recorded in 2.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.8%).
Does the 2021 Defender Hard Top D Mhev A get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.8% in the 0-30k band to 5.6% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 744 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.