Lexus RX common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 36,751 initial MOT tests on the Lexus RX in Great Britain, and 81.1% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Lexus RX at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 36,751
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 81.1%
Failed at firstIncluding 4.5% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 18.9%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 5.1%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 4,065 off the road (SORN): 38,494

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the RX fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
7.2%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
6.2%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
4.6%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
4.2%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
5Visibility
2.7%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Body, chassis and structure
1.5%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
1.1%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Registration plates and VIN
0.5%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%
9Road wheels
0.4%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%
10Seat belts and airbags
0.4%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Position lampsLamps and electrics3.8%
ConditionTyres2.7%
Brake performanceBrakes2.6%
Anti-roll barsSuspension2.5%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes2.0%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics1.7%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics1.7%
Suspension armsSuspension1.6%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2022	2,332	95.4%	1.8%
2021	1,662	95.0%	1.6%
2020	1,618	94.6%	1.4%
2019	2,128	94.5%	2.1%
2018	1,696	93.2%	2.8%
2017	1,801	91.1%	2.8%
2016	2,087	91.7%	2.8%
2015	1,266	85.7%	3.9%
2014	1,636	85.3%	5.1%
2013	1,790	85.6%	4.2%
2012	1,717	80.4%	4.2%
2011	1,753	72.6%	7.2%
2010	2,516	75.0%	6.7%
2009	2,308	73.6%	6.2%
2008	2,344	70.3%	7.0%
2007	2,650	68.2%	8.0%
2006	2,098	66.5%	8.2%
2005	1,663	64.8%	9.1%
2004	954	67.9%	9.3%
2003	417	70.0%	9.1%

Mileage

RX mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	23,000 miles	1,853
3 years	28,200 miles	1,776
4 years	35,100 miles	1,562
5 years	41,400 miles	1,857
6 years	49,800 miles	1,832
7 years	56,400 miles	1,642
8 years	64,000 miles	1,935
9 years	71,400 miles	1,572
10 years	82,200 miles	1,500
11 years	90,100 miles	1,724
12 years	97,500 miles	1,683
13 years	105,700 miles	1,791
14 years	114,400 miles	2,035
15 years	121,900 miles	2,379
16 years	128,500 miles	2,328
17 years	135,100 miles	2,619
18 years	137,300 miles	2,304
19 years	136,600 miles	2,044
20 years	126,100 miles	1,144
21 years	121,200 miles	701
22 years	122,000 miles	250

Checking a particular RX?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Lexus RX: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Lexus RX?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Lexus RX was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 7.2% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (6.2%) and brakes (4.6%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Lexus RX?

81.1% of 36,751 initial MOT tests on the Lexus RX in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 4.5% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Lexus RX is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 5.1% of initial tests on the Lexus RX found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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