81.1%
Lexus RX pass rate
Used Lexus RX buying guide
In 2025, Lexus RX cars passed 81.1% of 36,751 initial MOT tests, 8.8 points above the 72.3% UK average. Here is where it fails and what to check before you buy.
Looking at a specific RX? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.
Lexus RX MOT record in brief
Initial MOT tests in 2025, retests excluded.
72.3%
UK average, all cars
+8.8
percentage points above average
Ranked on pass rate the RX sits 181st of 575 models in the data. Lexus as a brand averaged 84%, so this model runs 2.9 points behind its own brand. Lexus RX cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 94.8% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 72.7%.
A pass rate is not a reliability score. The full Lexus RX MOT record has the pass rate by age, every common failure and how the RX compares with similar cars.
RX fuel types
Hybrid electric was the most common fuel among Lexus RX cars tested in 2025. Diesel made up just 0% of tests.
Where the RX fails its MOT
Where Lexus RX cars that failed their 2025 MOT were marked down, as a share of all recorded failure items.
The specific items testers recorded most often were position lamp not working (10.7%), wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively (4.3%) and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.3%). See every common RX MOT failure.
These are DVSA failure records across every Lexus RX that failed, not a claim that every RX has these problems.
What should you check when buying a used RX?
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. 25.8% of RX failure items.
2
Suspension
Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters. 23.6% of RX 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. 17.2% of RX failure items.
4
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. 13.5% of RX failure items.
5
Visibility
Check the windscreen for chips or cracks in the driver's view, and that the wipers and washers clear it properly. 7.5% of RX 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 RX failures cluster around lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and suspension 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 RX 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
Other used Lexus models
The most-tested Lexus models in 2025, with how their MOT pass rate compares with the RX.
Used Lexus RX FAQs
Is the Lexus RX 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 81.1% first-time pass rate for the Lexus RX across 36,751 tests in 2025, above the 72.3% average for all cars.
Do older Lexus RX cars fail their MOT more often?
Lexus RX cars aged 3 to 5 years passed 94.8% of MOT tests in 2025; for examples aged 11 years and over that fell to 72.7%. 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 RX?
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 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 RX'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.