Land Rover Freelander (2004)

22,106 real MOT outcomes analysed • 73.7% first-time pass rate

2004 Land Rover Freelander

CarHunch analysed 22,106 real MOT records for the 2004 Land Rover Freelander. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

The 2004 Freelander has a first-time MOT pass rate of 73.7%, which trails the UK average of 80% by a meaningful margin—and this is a serious red flag given that 37.1% of these vehicles have recorded a dangerous defect at some point. Petrol and diesel variants perform almost identically (73.4% and 73.7% respectively), so fuel choice won't improve your odds here.

These are relatively high-mileage cars for their age, with a median of 89,188 miles, yet they're averaging nearly five failures and 25 advisories per MOT visit, which points to systemic wear across multiple systems rather than isolated problems. Before buying one, budget for imminent repairs, get a pre-purchase inspection from a specialist familiar with Freelander corrosion and suspension issues, and seriously factor in ongoing maintenance costs.

Below average reliability 6.3% below UK average
73.7%
pass MOT first time
UK average: ~80%
89,188
typical mileage
73,683–105,699 middle half
37.1%
ever had a dangerous defect
recorded at any MOT
4.96
avg MOT failures per car
over 17.8 tests on record

What to check before buying a 2004 Land Rover Freelander

Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.

  • 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
  • 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
  • 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
  • ⚠️ 37.1% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
  • 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.

Before you buy a Land Rover Freelander

MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.

Inspection ClickMechanic Have a qualified mechanic check this car before you commit to buying

CarHunch may earn a small commission if you buy via these links — at no extra cost to you.

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type Vehicles Pass rate Avg failures
Diesel (73%) 16,196 73.7% 5.11
Petrol (27%) 5,887 73.4% 4.57
LPG (0%) 22 77.5% 3.82
Other (0%) 1 100% 0

Mileage Distribution

Most 2004 Land Rover Freelander vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

73,683
low mileage
89,188
typical
105,699
high mileage

Half of all 2004 Land Rover Freelander vehicles fall between 73,683 and 105,699 miles.

2004 Land Rover Freelander — Still on the Road

Numbers are declining — 3,415 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (18% of peak).

18,734 3,415 2014 2025

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.

MOT History Averages

17.8
Avg MOT tests per vehicle
4.96
Avg failures per vehicle
25.3
Avg advisories per vehicle

Most Common MOT Issues — 2004 Land Rover Freelander

Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.

  • 68.7%
    Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 64.4%
    Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
  • 64.4%
    Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
  • 64.1%
    Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
  • 49.9%
    Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin
  • 43.7%
    Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material
  • 43.4%
    Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded
  • 43.2%
    Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2004. Counts include advisories and failures.

Found a specific Land Rover Freelander?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

UK

Other model years — Land Rover Freelander:

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014