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Rover Land Rover Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Rover Land Rover car check

Is the Rover Land Rover reliable? We analysed 852 real MOT tests across 100 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 852 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
74.9%
Typical Mileage
52,002mi
Annual Mileage
410mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
65yrs

The Rover Land Rover is about average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include stop lamp not working, windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Rover Land Rover.

Rover Land Rover Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Rover Land Rover. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Rover Land Rover MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Rover Land Rover to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

70.7%
1981
70.6%
1972
66.4%
1971
86.3%
1961

Rover Land Rover Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Rover Land Rover fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Stop lamp not working 32
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 26
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 23
Headlamp not working on main beam 21
Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 20
brake binding 18
Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings 15
wheel bearing has excessive play 15
position lamp(s) not working 15
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 14

Rover Land Rover Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Rover Land Rover owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
129 mi/yr
Typical
410 mi/yr
Average
1,816 mi/yr
Heavy usage
1,317 mi/yr

Rover Land Rover MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Rover Land Rover year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
1981 58 70.7% 14,600 60,092 81,484
1972 51 70.6% 4,897 18,938 70,594
1971 107 66.4% 26,084 64,119 81,630
1961 51 86.3% 52,426 74,733 86,482

Rover Land Rover Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Rover Land Rover MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
52,002 mi
75th Percentile
79,946 mi
95th Percentile
98,791 mi
Max Recorded
269,052 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Rover Land Rover

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
1961

86.3% MOT pass rate from 51 tests

Year to avoid
1971

66.4% MOT pass rate from 107 tests

The best year to buy a used Rover Land Rover is 1961, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 86.3% across 51 tests. The 1971 model year has the lowest pass rate at 66.4% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Rover Land Rover Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Rover Land Rover THIS CAR 74.9% 852 52,002 mi 65 yrs
Rover 25 72.1% 1,784,341 53,712 mi 26 yrs
Rover 75 70.7% 1,365,354 77,595 mi 27 yrs
Rover 214 67.6% 1,033,973 75,438 mi 36 yrs
Harley-davidson XL 1200 Ns Iron 1200 20 90.9% 408 4,455 mi — yrs

Compared to the Rover 25 (72.1% pass rate) and the Rover 75 (70.7% pass rate), the Rover Land Rover outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Rover Land Rover?

The Rover Land Rover has an overall MOT pass rate of 74.9% across 852 real MOT tests — roughly in line with the UK average.

The most common problems on the Rover Land Rover are stop lamp not working (32 recorded failures), windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (26), and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (23). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Rover Land Rover owner drives around 410 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Rover Land Rover models stay on UK roads for around 65 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Rover Land Rover — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Rover Land Rover reliable?
Based on 852 MOT tests, the Rover Land Rover has a 74.9% pass rate — about average for UK cars.
What are the common problems on a Rover Land Rover?
The most common MOT failures are stop lamp not working, windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid, and windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Rover Land Rover do per year?
The typical Rover Land Rover does around 410 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Rover Land Rover last?
Most Rover Land Rover models stay on UK roads for around 65 years based on our analysis of 100 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Rover Land Rover?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Rover Land Rover?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Rover Land Rover is 1961 with a 86.3% pass rate across 51 tests.