Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto reliable?

Based on MOT data from 235 vehicles, the 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto has a first-time MOT pass rate of 94.5%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

CarHunch

Get Started

Land Rover Defender V8 Auto (2021)

235 real MOT outcomes analysed • 94.5% first-time pass rate

2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto

CarHunch analysed 235 real MOT records for the 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

AI Analysis Reliability Overview Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto has a first-time MOT pass rate of 84.8%, comfortably ahead of the UK average of 80%, suggesting better-than-average reliability at this age. Only 5.1% of vehicles have ever recorded a dangerous defect, which is reassuringly low and not a buyer concern.

At roughly 24,000 miles average, these cars are lightly used for their age, which explains the strong pass rates. The typical vehicle has just 0.15 failures but 1.1 advisories per test, pointing to minor wear items rather than structural problems—so when buying one, focus your inspection on routine maintenance history rather than worrying about hidden mechanical faults.

We have limited data for the 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Around 1 in 20 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

94.5%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

5.1%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.15

Over 1.9 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

24k

Middle half: 18k–30k

For context

These stats describe 235 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

A solid choice — agree?

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 235 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto cars.

Before you buy a 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto

Based on MOT data from 235 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 5.1% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (99%)	232	94.4%	0.16

Colour Breakdown

Based on 1,141 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 60.1%

686

Grey 36.4%

415

White 2.8%

Bronze 0.7%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

23,912

typical

17,530

low mileage

30,008

high mileage

Half of all 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto vehicles fall between 17,530 and 30,008 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 17,530 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 17,530–30,008 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Autos sit.

⚠ Over 40,510 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

MOT History Averages

1.9

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.15

Avg failures per vehicle

1.1

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Land Rover Defender V8 Auto: All Defender V8 Auto years → Which year to buy? →

2022 2023 2024

Or browse all models: Land Rover →

Compare with another model

See how the 2021 Land Rover Defender V8 Auto stacks up against a rival.

A solid choice — agree?