2018 Land Rover Discovery — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Land Rover Discovery passed 89.7% of its 47,470 recorded MOT tests. Large SUVs of a similar age fail at 10.3%, so the 2018 Discovery sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in tyres, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.8%) and visibility (2.4%) 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 tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 1,208 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2018 Discovery fails 7.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.3% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.0 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 10.3% of the time against 10.6% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 16.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.8% | 2,297 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.4% | 1,158 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.3% | 1,107 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 713 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.3% | 604 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 419 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,208 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 966 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 667 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 423 |
| 5 | Registration plates | 359 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 354 |
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 | 16.8% | 7,951 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.6% | 7,889 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.3% | 2,988 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.0% | 2,360 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.1% | 1,929 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 526 |
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 | 8,694 | 7.3% |
| 30-60k | 22,627 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 11,906 | 11.7% |
| 90-120k | 3,217 | 12.3% |
| 120-150k | 730 | 13.6% |
| 150k+ | 290 | 9.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 45,182 | 10.3% |
| Petrol | 2,288 | 10.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,559 | 8.8% |
| 2022 | 9,703 | 10.2% |
| 2023 | 9,401 | 10.5% |
| 2024 | 9,414 | 10.6% |
| 2025 | 9,393 | 11.4% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Discovery
On a 2018 Discovery, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.8% 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 (2.4% 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.
- Brakes (2.3% 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 2018 Land Rover Discoverys pass their MOT?
89.7% of the 47,470 2018 Land Rover Discovery MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Land Rover Discovery?
Tyres, recorded in 4.8% of tests, followed by visibility (2.4%).
Does the 2018 Discovery get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.3% in the 0-30k band to 9.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 47,470 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.