Used Lexus CT buying guide

In 2025, Lexus CT cars passed 82.6% of 31,026 initial MOT tests, 10.3 points above the 72.3% UK average. Here is where it fails and what to check before you buy.

Looking at a specific CT? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.

Lexus CT MOT record in brief

Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded.

82.6%

Lexus CT pass rate

72.3%

UK average, all cars

+10.3

percentage points above average

Ranked on pass rate the CT sits 161st of 575 models in the data. Lexus as a brand averaged 84%, so this model runs 1.3 points behind its own brand. Lexus CT cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 89.5% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 78.1%.

A pass rate is not a reliability score. The full Lexus CT MOT record has the pass rate by age, every common failure and how the CT compares with similar cars.

CT fuel types

Hybrid electric was the most common fuel among Lexus CT cars tested in 2025. Diesel made up just 0% of tests.

Where the CT fails its MOT

Where Lexus CT cars that failed their 2025 MOT were marked down, as a share of all recorded failure items.

  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment29.6%
  • Tyres24.1%
  • Brakes16.2%
  • Visibility12.5%
  • Suspension10%
  • Body, chassis, structure2%

The specific items testers recorded most often were headlamp not working on dipped beam (8.6%), wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (7.7%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.9%). See every common CT MOT failure.

These are DVSA failure records across every Lexus CT that failed, not a claim that every CT has these problems.

What should you check when buying a used CT?

The areas above, most common first, and what an MOT tester looks at in each.

1

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. 29.6% of CT failure items.

2

Tyres

Check tread depth across the full width of every tyre (the legal minimum is 1.6mm), and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear. 24.1% of CT failure items.

3

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. 16.2% of CT failure items.

4

Visibility

Check the windscreen for chips or cracks in the driver's view, and that the wipers and washers clear it properly. 12.5% of CT failure items.

5

Suspension

Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters. 10% of CT failure items.

None of this replaces the car's own record. Run a free MOT history check on the registration to see every test, advisory and recorded mileage for that car.

What the MOT record doesn't tell you

Knowing Lexus CT failures cluster around lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and tyres tells you what to inspect. It tells you nothing about whether the car is safe to buy. An MOT does not show money still owed on the car, a write-off, a theft record or a clocked odometer.

Check the exact CT you are looking at. One £15 report, instant results, backed by a £30,000 data guarantee. More on the Lexus history check.

  • Outstanding finance
  • Write-off records
  • Stolen markers
  • Mileage history
  • Previous keepers

Used Lexus CT FAQs

Is the Lexus CT 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 an 82.6% first-time pass rate for the Lexus CT across 31,026 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.

Do older Lexus CT cars fail their MOT more often?

Lexus CT cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 89.5% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 78.1%. On an older example, the car's own MOT history tells you more than the model average.

What should I check before buying a used Lexus CT?

On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, tyres and brakes. Then check the individual car's history: outstanding finance, insurance write-off records, stolen markers, mileage and previous keepers. None of these appear in the MOT record or on the V5C.

How do I check a Lexus CT'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.

MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability.