2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport passed 87.0% of its 126,968 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as mid-size SUVs of a similar age (13.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.8%) and tyres (4.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 3,409 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 18.0% versus 8.5%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 24.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.8% | 6,118 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.7% | 5,999 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.1% | 3,920 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.1% | 3,910 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 2,950 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.9% | 2,373 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 3,409 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 3,317 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,873 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 2,395 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 1,853 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 1,686 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 24.6% | 31,226 |
| 2 | Tyres | 23.1% | 29,338 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.0% | 8,828 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.8% | 6,107 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 4,697 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 1,949 |
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 | 7,643 | 8.5% |
| 30-60k | 53,452 | 11.9% |
| 60-90k | 48,398 | 14.1% |
| 90-120k | 14,755 | 15.0% |
| 120-150k | 2,309 | 16.9% |
| 150k+ | 395 | 18.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 126,897 | 13.0% |
| Petrol | 71 | 19.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25,625 | 12.0% |
| 2022 | 25,560 | 11.8% |
| 2023 | 25,314 | 12.7% |
| 2024 | 25,504 | 13.8% |
| 2025 | 24,965 | 14.7% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Discovery Sport
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.7% 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.
- Visibility (3.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sports pass their MOT?
87.0% of the 126,968 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.8% of tests, followed by tyres (4.7%).
Does the 2016 Discovery Sport get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.5% in the 0-30k band to 18.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 126,968 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.