Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 8,065 tests analysed

Land Rover Defender 2021: reliability & common MOT faults

727 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2021 Land Rover Defender in 2025. Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Tyres — Condition (rear) was the most common reason a 2021 Defender failed its MOT — 17.6% of its failed first attempts.

First-attempt pass

91.0%

of 8,065 first tests (2025)

First tests

8,065

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

727

failed first-attempt tests

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

91.0%

of 8,065 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

92.7%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

8,065

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 4.0 yrs · median mileage 38,409 mi

vs 2024: -0.9 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 727 failed first attempts in 2025 that the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Daytime running lamps (front) — 4.8% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 35 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 20× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. That is what makes it unusual for its class, which is a different question from what is most likely to fail; the buying checklist ranks by that. The full ranked list is in the table below.

No patterns met the strongest callout thresholds on this page; showing the highest-lift rows that still cleared the display floors.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Daytime running lamps (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Daytime running lamps
 Front 35 ×20 4.8% Likely
Position lamp (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Position lamps > Position lamp
 Front 59 ×14 8.1% Likely
SRS malfunction indicator lamp
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems > SRS malfunction indicator lamp
 Any 35 ×6.3 4.8% Likely
Registration plates (front)
Identification of the vehicle > Registration plates
 Front 35 ×5.0 4.8% Likely
Registration plates (rear)
Identification of the vehicle > Registration plates
 Rear 29 ×4.2 4.0% Possible
Malfunction indicator lamp
Noise, emissions and leaks > Exhaust emissions > Compression ignition > Malfunction indicator lamp
 Any 44 ×3.2 6.1% Likely

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Nothing separates this year from the Defenders either side of it, so buy on the individual car. The checks below are the items that actually failed 2021 Defenders, commonest first.

Other Defender years worth knowing about

Newer cars always pass more often, so a plain "best year" list would just rank by age. These are the years that beat or miss the trend their own neighbouring years set — the only age-adjusted signal this data supports.

Year vs the years either side First-attempt pass (rises with newer cars) First tests
2023 Defender +5.4 pp better 97.4% 504
2020 Defender -2.5 pp worse 88.5% 3,949
2022 Defender -2.2 pp worse 92.0% 9,369

What to check on a 2021 Defender

The items that failed 2021 Defenders most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Tyres — Condition (rear) — recorded on 17.6% of failed first attempts
  • Position lamp (front) — recorded on 8.1% of failed first attempts
  • Brake pads (rear) — recorded on 7.4% of failed first attempts
  • Headlamp aim — recorded on 6.9% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

Tyres — Condition (rear) was the most common reason a 2021 Defender failed its MOT — 17.6% of its failed first attempts. In 2025, 91.0% of 8,065 first MOTs on the 2021 Land Rover Defender passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 92.7%. Among 727 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Daytime running lamps (front) appears…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2021 Land Rover Defenders most often at the first attempt were Tyres — Condition (rear) (17.6%), Position lamp (front) (8.1%) and Brake pads (rear) (7.4%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the common-faults tabl…
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Daytime running lamps (front) (4.8% of those tests; 35 observed failures; about 20× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Daytime running lamps (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (4.8% of those tests; 35 observed failures; about 20× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault — age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2021 Land Rover Defender include Daytime running lamps (front), Position lamp (front), SRS malfunction indicator lamp. These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2021 Land Rover Defender (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars — not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics — this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces — but does not remove — differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Check any vehicle’s MOT history

Full MOT history, mileage records, and reliability insights for any UK vehicle.

Run a free check