Land Rover Defender, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls
168,924 Land Rover Defenders are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 73% of initial MOT tests, 0.7 points above the 72.3% UK average.
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Land Rover Defender at the MOT
73% of 121,149 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Defender 293rd of 575 models. Land Rover Defenders aged 3 to 5 years passed 90.6% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 67.4%.
First-time pass rate, 2025
Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.
Pass rate by age at test
Land Rover Defender tests in 2025.
Where Defenders fail
Share of all failure items recorded on Land Rover Defender tests in 2025.
The items testers recorded most often were position lamp not working (4.4%), shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (3.8%) and wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.1%).
The MOT page lists every common Defender MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.
What to look at on a viewing
The Defender's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.
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Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.30.2% of Defender failure items
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Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.16.1% of Defender failure items
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Brakes
Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.14% of Defender failure items
Land Rover Defenders in the UK
168,924 were licensed at the end of June 2026, the 2nd most of any Land Rover. The number licensed has grown 59% since the end of 2014.
- Change since 2014
- +59%from 106,128 licensed
- Typical year of first use
- 2015half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2015 or earlier
- First registered in 2025
- 18,207
- Declared off the road
- 32,02816% of those registered, under SORN
Licensed Land Rover Defenders since 2014
Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.
Show the figures
| Date | Licensed |
|---|---|
| End of 2014 | 106,128 |
| End of 2015 | 111,301 |
| End of 2016 | 111,049 |
| End of 2017 | 107,782 |
| End of 2018 | 104,802 |
| End of 2019 | 101,625 |
| End of 2020 | 103,327 |
| End of 2021 | 109,877 |
| End of 2022 | 116,765 |
| End of 2023 | 129,335 |
| End of 2024 | 143,011 |
| End of 2025 | 158,329 |
| End of June 2026 | 168,924 |
How old they are
Licensed Land Rover Defenders by year of first use.
- Licensed at the end of 2025
- First registered that year
A further 40,346 were first used before 2006.
Show the figures
| First used | Licensed, end 2025 | First registered that year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17,628 | 18,207 |
| 2024 | 16,449 | 17,575 |
| 2023 | 15,409 | 16,593 |
| 2022 | 9,842 | 10,943 |
| 2021 | 8,185 | 9,543 |
| 2020 | 3,943 | 4,733 |
| 2019 | 20 | 186 |
| 2018 | 0 | 148 |
| 2017 | 11 | 177 |
| 2016 | 1,713 | 2,952 |
| 2015 | 6,511 | 8,672 |
| 2014 | 5,750 | |
| 2013 | 4,345 | |
| 2012 | 3,816 | |
| 2011 | 3,996 | |
| 2010 | 3,789 | |
| 2009 | 3,237 | |
| 2008 | 3,454 | |
| 2007 | 3,728 | |
| 2006 | 3,638 |
6,511 Defenders first used in 2015 were still licensed at the end of 2025, roughly 75% of the 8,672 first registered that year.
Defender engines and fuel
2.5 litre engines made up 47% of Land Rover Defender MOT tests in 2025, followed by 2.2 litre at 17%. Diesel accounts for 92% of licensed Defenders and petrol for 4.6%.
Engine size at MOT, 2025
Share of 121,051 initial MOT tests in 2025.
Fuel type, licensed Defenders
DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.
| Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 7,770 | 5% |
| Diesel | 155,197 | 92% |
| Battery electric | 12 | <0.1% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 5,892 | 3% |
| Hybrid electric | 16 | <0.1% |
| Other fuels | 37 | <0.1% |
Land Rover Defender recalls
27 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Land Rover Defender. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Defender is affected.
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Jun 2026 R/2026/241
AJ20-D6 Idler Pulley Clash
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- A concern has been identified on certain AJ20-D6 engines where the Front End Auxiliary Drive (FEAD) belt idler pulley may over-rotate following a high torsion input and lead to a clash with and damage to the oil pressure and temperature sensor. A damaged oil pressure and temperature sensor can lead to an oil leak from the engine which can result in a slip hazard for following road users particularly two-wheeled vehicles.
- Remedy
- Vehicles will have the Front-End Auxiliary Drive (FEAD) idler pulley replaced.
-
Jun 2026 R/2026/245
Driver's Airbag Potential Non-Deployment
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- A concern has been identified where the connector to the driver's airbag at the clockspring may experience fretting corrosion over time. This can lead to an increased resistance in the driver's airbag circuit potentially resulting in the airbag failing to deploy when requested to do so. An airbag which fails to deploy as-intended will increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Vehicles will have a protective lubricant gel applied to the driver's airbag connector terminals.
-
Jun 2026 R/2026/177
Defender and Discovery 2026 Model Year Fuel Tank Wall Thickness
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- A concern has been identified where the fuel tank wall thickness may be below design specification near the inlet check valve. A fuel tank with a thinner-than-designed wall may not perform adequately in the event of a crash leading to increased risk of fuel spillage and potentially fire.
- Remedy
- Affected vehicles will have the fuel tank replaced.
-
Jun 2026 R/2025/553
E-PACE F-PACE Defender Discovery Sport Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar PHEV Traction Battery Fire Risk
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Vehicles have experienced thermal overload which may manifest in smoke or fire that may occur underneath the rear of the vehicle where the high voltage traction battery is located. The root cause is not yet known and investigations are continuing. A vehicle thermal overload condition such as fire or smoke can result in increased risk of occupant injury and/or injury to persons outside the vehicle as well as property damage.
- Remedy
- Vehicles will be inspected by the retailer and as required at-risk battery packs will be replaced.
-
Mar 2026 R/2026/115
Defender Third Row Lower Seat Belt Anchorage Bracket
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles a concern has been identified where the third-row lower seat belt anchorage bracket may contain a weld stud of insufficient ISO strength due to material contamination at the supplier. An insufficiently strong weld stud in this position could result in the safety restraint system not functioning correctly in the event of a crash increasing the risk of occupant injury.
- Remedy
- Vehicles will have the third-row lower seat belt anchorage bracket replaced.
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Mar 2025 R/2024/390
Defender 90" Classic Works LP Fuel Line Clash to Bracket
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- The manufacturer has determined on affected vehicles the routing of low-pressure fuel pipes may clash with the rear right-hand damper. There is a risk that the fuel pipe could abrade and cause a fuel leak.
- Remedy
- Vehicles will have the fuel line replaced and an additional fuel line bracket fitted together with revised routing for the fuel pipe
-
Mar 2025 R/2025/065
Defender P425 Dynamic Mode Stability
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- Affected vehicles have had an incorrect set of settings in Dynamic Mode. Dynamic Mode therefore does not provide adequate stability suspension stiffness nor provide adequate stability control system operation thereby increasing the risk of loss of vehicle control.
- Remedy
- Vehicles will have dynamic mode disabled.
-
Jun 2024 R/2024/255
AJ20-D6 and AJ20-P6 Engine Oil Filter Housing Cracked
Defect and remedy
- Defect
- On affected vehicles the incorrect specification of plastic was used to manufacture the oil filter housing. This housing may over time and with vehicle use crack. This could result in oil under pressure leaking and coming into contact with hot components of the engine which may result in a fire. Additionally oil may leak onto the road surface posing a skid hazard.
- Remedy
- Replace the oil filter housing complete with filter and associated O-rings.
Other Land Rover models
The most-tested Land Rover models in 2025, against the Defender's 73% MOT pass rate.
- Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
- Land Rover Discovery
- Land Rover Range Rover Sport
- Land Rover Discovery Sport
- Land Rover Freelander
- Land Rover Range Rover
Land Rover Defender FAQs
How many Land Rover Defenders are there in the UK?
168,924 Land Rover Defenders were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 32,028 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.
Is the Land Rover Defender reliable?
MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 73% first-time pass rate for the Land Rover Defender across 121,149 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Has the Land Rover Defender had any recalls?
27 DVSA safety recalls launched from 2010 to July 2026 name the Land Rover Defender. The most recent was published in June 2026. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.
What should I check before buying a used Land Rover Defender?
On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, suspension and brakes. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.
How do I check a Land Rover Defender's history?
Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.
Already found a Defender?
Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Across the 1,389 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Land Rover history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Land Rover VIN check.
- Outstanding finance
- Write-off records
- Stolen markers
- Mileage history
- Previous keepers
MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to July 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.