2020 Land Rover Defender Hse D Auto — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,979 MOT tests analysed for the 2020 Land Rover Defender Hse D Auto, the most common recorded failure areas were tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes. Its pass rate of 90.6% was in line with the average for cars of a similar age (90.5%). Higher-mileage examples failed more often — 14.5% in the 60-90k group versus 6.1% in the 0-30k group.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.7% | 73 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 56 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.9% | 38 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 29 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.9% | 17 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.8% | 15 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 38 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 29 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 28 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 26 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 22 |
| 6 | Daytime running lamps | 16 |
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 | 15.7% | 310 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.2% | 261 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.3% | 85 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.9% | 78 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.8% | 15 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.6% | 11 |
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 | 554 | 6.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,178 | 9.9% |
| 60-90k | 235 | 14.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 628 | 8.0% |
| 2024 | 660 | 9.8% |
| 2025 | 675 | 10.4% |
What to check before buying a 2020 Defender Hse D Auto
Before buying a 2020 Land Rover Defender Hse D Auto, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Tyres accounted for 3.7% of tests for this year.
- Tyres (3.7% 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 (2.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2020 Land Rover Defender Hse D Autos pass their MOT?
90.6% of the 1,979 2020 Land Rover Defender Hse D Auto MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2020 Land Rover Defender Hse D Auto?
Tyres, recorded in 3.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.8%).
Does the 2020 Defender Hse D Auto get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.1% in the 0-30k band to 14.5% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,979 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.