2023 Land Rover Discovery — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2023 Land Rover Discovery passed 91.4% of its 278 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.1 percentage points worse than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 6.6%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 5.4% of all tests — 3.6 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, headlamp aim and brake discs — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 3 times.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.4% | 15 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 5 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.1% | 3 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.7% | 2 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.4% | 1 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.4% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 3 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2 |
| 3 | Brake discs | 2 |
| 4 | Washers | 2 |
| 5 | Passenger's seat | 1 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joints | 1 |
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 | 6.5% | 18 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.0% | 14 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.3% | 12 |
| 4 | Other defects | 3.6% | 10 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 2 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 1 |
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 | 177 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 90 | 12.2% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 216 | 9.3% |
| Hybrid | 57 | 7.0% |
What to check before buying a 2023 Discovery
On a 2023 Discovery, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (5.4% 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.
- Visibility (1.1% 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 2023 Land Rover Discoverys pass their MOT?
91.4% of the 278 2023 Land Rover Discovery MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2023 Land Rover Discovery?
Tyres, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.8%).
Does the 2023 Discovery get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.8% in the 0-30k band to 12.2% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 278 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.