2007 Lexus Is 250 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 565 MOT tests, the 2007 Lexus Is 250 recorded an 82.5% pass rate. That is 9.4 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.5% of tests against 7.8% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and headlamp — position lamp alone was recorded 44 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.7% of 60-90k cars fail, rising to 21.9% once past 150k.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 31.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 17.7% in 2021 to 16.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.5% | 82 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.8% | 44 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 6.2% | 35 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.5% | 31 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 16 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.5% | 14 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 44 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 42 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 38 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 21 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 18 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 18 |
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 | 31.0% | 175 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.3% | 109 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.5% | 76 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 13.1% | 74 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.5% | 65 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.0% | 45 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 139 | 13.7% |
| 90-120k | 207 | 17.9% |
| 120-150k | 158 | 19.6% |
| 150k+ | 41 | 21.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 124 | 17.7% |
| 2022 | 118 | 17.0% |
| 2023 | 115 | 19.1% |
| 2024 | 114 | 17.5% |
| 2025 | 94 | 16.0% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Is 250
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 14.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (14.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.8% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (6.2% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 2007 Lexus Is 250s pass their MOT?
82.5% of the 565 2007 Lexus Is 250 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Lexus Is 250?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.5% of tests, followed by brakes (7.8%).
Does the 2007 Is 250 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.7% in the 60-90k band to 21.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 565 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.