Lexus Nx MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 10 model years and 124,916 tests, the Lexus Nx passes its MOT 94.3% of the time. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail 11.6% of the time, so this is 6.0pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst Nx years
Ranked across Nx years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 2021 (96.3% pass rate); the weakest is 2014 (91.9%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — tyres (3.1%) and visibility (2.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and tread depth — wipers alone was recorded 3,888 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 11.3% versus 3.0%.
Split by fuel, petrol examples fail 2.1pp more often than hybrid ones (7.7% vs 5.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 4.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 6.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Nx model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 4,431 | 91.9% | 8.1% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 16,647 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 19,724 | 93.1% | 6.9% | Visibility |
| 2017 | 19,903 | 94.4% | 5.6% | Visibility |
| 2018 | 23,284 | 95.1% | 4.9% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 19,030 | 95.1% | 4.9% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 12,876 | 95.7% | 4.3% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 9,008 | 96.3% | 3.7% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.1% | 3,893 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.8% | 3,447 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 1,901 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.1% | 1,364 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 1,070 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.2% | 275 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 259 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.2% | 256 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 3,888 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 1,940 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,366 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,023 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 955 |
| 6 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 662 |
| 7 | Registration plates | 379 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 336 |
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 | 21.8% | 27,171 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.4% | 11,700 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.9% | 7,356 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.5% | 6,819 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 3,504 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.1% | 145 |
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 | 41,300 | 3.0% |
| 30-60k | 56,202 | 6.1% |
| 60-90k | 20,290 | 8.3% |
| 90-120k | 5,376 | 10.7% |
| 120-150k | 1,257 | 8.7% |
| 150k+ | 487 | 11.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 123,974 | 5.7% |
| Petrol | 894 | 7.7% |
| Other | 43 | 9.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,819 | 4.4% |
| 2022 | 21,738 | 4.7% |
| 2023 | 26,102 | 5.3% |
| 2024 | 30,119 | 6.2% |
| 2025 | 30,138 | 6.8% |
What to check before buying a Lexus Nx
- Tyres (3.1% 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 (2.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Lexus Nx?
94.3% of the 124,916 Lexus Nx MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 5.7% fail rate, across model years 2014–2023.
What does the Lexus Nx most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 3.1% of tests, then visibility (2.8%).
Which Nx years are best and worst for MOT results?
2021 has the best pass rate at 96.3% and 2014 the weakest at 91.9%, from 9,008 and 4,431 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Nx MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 11.3% for 150k+, a 8.3-point difference.
Is the hybrid or petrol Nx more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 5.7% of the time against 7.7% for the petrol. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 124,916 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.