Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0
Land Rover
Defender Hard Top SE D Mhev A
1,428 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Defender Hard Top SE D Mhev As pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 15.3 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
92.8%
Pass-after-fix
0.5%
Fail
4.0%
Avg miles
40,980
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Diesel cars registered from September 2015 generally meet Euro 6 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
The picture
Defender Hard Top Se D Mhev A: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 1,428 MOT tests, the Defender Hard Top Se D Mhev A returns 92.8% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A non-conforming number plate and a seriously damaged tyre round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 40,980, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
47 occurrences · 3.3% of tests
- 02
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
17 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 03
A tyre seriously damaged
16 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
- 04
Wiper blade defective
8 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 05
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
6 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 06
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
5 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 07
Number plate inscription missing or illegible
4 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 08
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
4 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 09
A lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 10
A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£35–£80
If every one of this Defender Hard Top SE D Mhev A's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
MOT-spec replacement number plate
Faded or non-standard plates fail outright. Replacements take ten minutes online with V5C details.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Buying or keeping a Defender Hard Top SE D Mhev A?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Defender Hard Top SE D Mhev A and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.