Lexus Is220 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Lexus Is220 appears in 33,929 MOT tests spanning model years 1997–2020, and 80.2% of them passed. That is 6.2 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.0%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.4% of all tests — 4.2 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 2,650 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.7% once past 150k — 3.5× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 18.4% of the time against 19.9% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 31.7% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Is220 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 132 | 81.1% | 18.9% | Brakes |
| 2006 | 6,277 | 79.3% | 20.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 9,508 | 79.6% | 20.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 6,653 | 80.6% | 19.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 6,385 | 81.1% | 18.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 4,380 | 80.6% | 19.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 512 | 80.9% | 19.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 52 | 78.8% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.4% | 4,544 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.2% | 3,122 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.5% | 2,196 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.8% | 1,271 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.3% | 1,122 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 796 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 683 |
| 8 | Road wheels | 0.8% | 262 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 2,650 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 2,017 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 1,993 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,739 |
| 5 | Wipers | 1,094 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 1,076 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 1,010 |
| 8 | Rigid brake pipes | 763 |
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 | 31.7% | 10,745 |
| 2 | Tyres | 30.3% | 10,298 |
| 3 | Suspension | 18.8% | 6,386 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 14.4% | 4,899 |
| 5 | Other defects | 10.9% | 3,687 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.5% | 2,188 |
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 | 77 | 6.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,027 | 10.8% |
| 60-90k | 4,760 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 10,489 | 19.0% |
| 120-150k | 10,024 | 21.4% |
| 150k+ | 7,543 | 22.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 33,357 | 19.9% |
| Petrol | 570 | 18.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,325 | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 7,976 | 19.5% |
| 2023 | 6,760 | 19.8% |
| 2024 | 5,541 | 21.0% |
| 2025 | 4,327 | 20.4% |
What to check before buying a Lexus Is220
- Lighting & signalling (13.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.2% 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.
- Tyres (6.5% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Lexus Is220?
80.2% of the 33,929 Lexus Is220 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 19.8% fail rate, across model years 1997–2020.
What does the Lexus Is220 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.4% of tests, then brakes (9.2%).
How much does mileage affect Is220 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.7% for 150k+, a 16.2-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Is220 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 18.4% of the time against 19.9% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 33,929 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.