Lexus Rx MOT pass rate & common failures
The Lexus Rx appears in 69,334 MOT tests spanning model years 2003–2024, and 94.8% of them passed. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 11.6% of the time, so this is 6.4pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
Best and worst Rx years
Ranked across Rx 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 (96.9% pass rate); the weakest is 2013 (90.0%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
No single area dominates — tyres (3.3%) and lighting & signalling (1.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 886 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 17.1% versus 2.8%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 20.3% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Rx model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 32 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Brakes |
| 2007 | 37 | 73.0% | 27.0% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 51 | 92.2% | 7.8% | Brakes |
| 2010 | 33 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 43 | 79.1% | 20.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 69 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 1,313 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 8,792 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 6,777 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 11,680 | 94.8% | 5.2% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 10,118 | 95.4% | 4.6% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 9,559 | 96.2% | 3.8% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 9,484 | 96.4% | 3.6% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 5,332 | 96.8% | 3.2% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 3,493 | 96.9% | 3.1% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 2,480 | 96.8% | 3.2% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.3% | 2,253 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.6% | 1,084 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.3% | 899 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.0% | 685 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 477 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.3% | 182 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.1% | 91 |
| 8 | Road wheels | 0.1% | 50 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 886 |
| 2 | Wipers | 872 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 823 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 462 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 317 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 282 |
| 7 | Position lamp | 251 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 199 |
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 | 20.3% | 14,048 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.7% | 5,331 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.2% | 5,019 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.3% | 3,010 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.8% | 1,904 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.6% | 403 |
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 | 19,686 | 2.8% |
| 30-60k | 29,837 | 4.7% |
| 60-90k | 13,796 | 7.3% |
| 90-120k | 4,389 | 9.3% |
| 120-150k | 1,185 | 12.2% |
| 150k+ | 440 | 17.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 68,916 | 5.2% |
| Petrol | 350 | 8.0% |
| Other | 67 | 10.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,278 | 5.1% |
| 2022 | 12,631 | 4.7% |
| 2023 | 14,038 | 4.8% |
| 2024 | 15,184 | 5.4% |
| 2025 | 17,203 | 5.8% |
What to check before buying a Lexus Rx
- Tyres (3.3% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.3% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Lexus Rx?
94.8% of the 69,334 Lexus Rx MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 5.2% fail rate, across model years 2003–2024.
What does the Lexus Rx most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 3.3% of tests, then lighting & signalling (1.6%).
Which Rx years are best and worst for MOT results?
2021 has the best pass rate at 96.9% and 2013 the weakest at 90.0%, from 3,493 and 1,313 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Rx MOT results?
Fail rates run at 2.8% for cars in the 0-30k band and 17.1% for 150k+, a 14.2-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 69,334 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.