Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2016 Land Rover Defender?

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 2016 Land Rover Defender?

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 2016 Land Rover Defender?

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 2016 Land Rover Defender reliable?

Based on MOT data from 2,267 vehicles, the 2016 Land Rover Defender has a first-time MOT pass rate of 88.4%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2016 Land Rover Defender?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2016 Land Rover Defender are: Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (13.6% of vehicles), Nearside Front Position lamp not working (12.9% of vehicles), Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (12.2% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2016 Land Rover Defender?

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.

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Land Rover Defender (2016)

2,267 real MOT outcomes analysed • 88.4% first-time pass rate

2016 Land Rover Defender

CarHunch analysed 2,267 real MOT records for the 2016 Land Rover Defender. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2016 Defender passes its MOT first time in 88.3% of cases, a solid 8.3 percentage points above the UK average, suggesting these are generally well-maintained vehicles—though 13.4% have recorded a dangerous defect at some point, which is worth factoring into your inspection checklist. The median mileage of just 20,567 miles is remarkably low for an eight-year-old vehicle, indicating many examples are either cherished hobby machines or light-use workhorses rather than hard-driven daily drivers.

With nearly one failure per vehicle and 4.3 advisories on average, the typical issues are manageable wear items rather than structural problems, but the spread suggests variability between individual examples. Before purchase, request the full MOT history to spot any pattern of recurring failures—particularly around suspension or braking components—since that low mileage profile means condition depends more on storage and maintenance than age-related fatigue.

The 2016 Land Rover Defender passes its MOT first time more often than most UK vehicles (88.4% vs ~80% average) — and when it does fail, it's usually something minor and cheap to fix.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 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

88.4%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

13.4%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.99

Over 6.9 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

21k

Middle half: 9k–37k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 88.4% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 4.3 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 2,267 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?

What tends to go wrong

Across 2,267 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Lighting 13.6%

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed · Nearside Front Position lamp not working · Offside Front Position lamp not working · …

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Suspension & steering 12.2%

Nearside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush · Offside Rear Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush · Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush · …

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Brake wear 11.5%

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material · Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 11.2%

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view · Oil leak, but not excessive

Tyre wear 8%

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2016.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 2,267 Land Rover Defender cars.

Before you buy a 2016 Land Rover Defender

Based on MOT data from 2,267 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 13.4% 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
Diesel (97%)	2,200	88.4%	1
Petrol (3%)	65	88.4%	0.77

Colour Breakdown

Based on 178,788 Land Rover Defender vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Green 31.6%

56,491

Blue 21.4%

38,210

Grey 11.2%

19,977

White 10.1%

18,136

Black 10.1%

17,989

Red 8.6%

15,383

Silver 4.4%

7,819

Yellow 0.7%

1,237

Orange 0.6%

1,149

Cream 0.5%

850

Beige 0.4%

784

Brown 0.4%

763

Mileage Distribution

Most 2016 Land Rover Defender 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.

20,567

typical

8,660

low mileage

37,177

high mileage

Half of all 2016 Land Rover Defender vehicles fall between 8,660 and 37,177 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 8,660 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.

✓ 8,660–37,177 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2016 Land Rover Defenders sit.

⚠ Over 50,188 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2016 Land Rover Defender — Still on the Road

Most 2016 Land Rover Defenders are still being driven.

Strong survival — 1,768 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 88% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2019–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

6.9

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.99

Avg failures per vehicle

4.3

Avg advisories per vehicle

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

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Compare with another model

See how the 2016 Land Rover Defender stacks up against a rival.

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