2016 Land Rover Range Rover Sport — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Sport passed 86.8% of its 62,810 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as large SUVs of a similar age (12.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.3%) and brakes (3.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, brake pads and srs malfunction indicator lamp — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 2,237 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.3% in the 0-30k band and 17.3% in the 150k+ band, a 9.0-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 11.2% fail against 13.3% for diesel, a 2.1-point gap across 62,809 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 20.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 11.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.3% | 2,691 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.6% | 2,274 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.5% | 2,185 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.5% | 1,576 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 1,432 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.7% | 1,068 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 2,237 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,535 |
| 3 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 1,510 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,430 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 980 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 885 |
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 | 20.8% | 13,055 |
| 2 | Tyres | 18.3% | 11,464 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.4% | 7,167 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.0% | 3,142 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 2,545 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.5% | 1,585 |
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 | 3,847 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 25,660 | 11.8% |
| 60-90k | 24,096 | 14.2% |
| 90-120k | 7,677 | 16.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,296 | 15.5% |
| 150k+ | 231 | 17.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 58,765 | 13.3% |
| Petrol | 4,044 | 11.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,969 | 11.5% |
| 2022 | 12,600 | 11.5% |
| 2023 | 12,577 | 13.4% |
| 2024 | 12,400 | 14.3% |
| 2025 | 12,264 | 15.1% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Range Rover Sport
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.3% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.3% 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.
- Brakes (3.6% 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.
- Suspension (3.5% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 Range Rover Sports pass their MOT?
86.8% of the 62,810 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Sport MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Sport?
Tyres, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by brakes (3.6%).
Does the 2016 Range Rover Sport get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 17.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 62,810 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.