Lexus
5,023 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where RCs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 15.4 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
92.9%
Pass-after-fix
1.4%
Fail
5.6%
Avg miles
45,367
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 4,962 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.0 points across the cohorts — newer RC examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
92.0%
Fail
6.3%
PRS
1.5%
Avg mileage at test
53,106 mi
Pass
94.1%
Fail
4.7%
PRS
1.2%
Avg mileage at test
34,079 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 2,534 MOT tests, the Rc returns 88.7% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a tyre with the cords showing. A seriously damaged tyre and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 39,335, 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.
ABI Insurance Group
A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
34–44
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Wiper blade defective
77 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
67 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
61 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
61 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
50 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
22 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
21 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
17 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
14 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A headlamp cleaning device inoperative in the case of LED or gas discharge systems (HID)
12 occurrences · 0.2% 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 3 failures
£140–£235
If every one of this RC'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 →
Try the calculator
Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.0-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy Lexus RC makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
94.1%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 94.1% — a 2.0-point improvement. Tests in this band average 34,079 miles — roughly 19K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: blade defective, has ply or cords exposed — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.
Band to be cautious about
92.0%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 92.0% pass rate against a fleet average of 94.1% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: blade defective, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 53,106 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (94.1% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (92.0% pass). That's a 2.0-point spread across 3,037 older tests and 1,925 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
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
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
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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 an RC 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.
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