Lexus ES years to avoid? MOT pass rate by year

2,455 initial MOT tests in 2025 on cars first used 2021–2022 · DVSA data · For guidance only · How we count

Both Lexus ES years have MOT pass rates above the average for vehicles first used in the same year.

Below the average for their first-use yearNone
Above the average for their first-use year2021–2022
Can't be told apart from averageNone

The MOT pass rate is one signal, not the whole story. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't record gearbox or engine faults, and a pass rate also reflects mileage and upkeep, so the table shows median mileage too. Whatever the year, the car in front of you matters more than its model's average.

94.1%passed first time

First-time pass rate, all years together: initial tests passed with no repairs. 95% range 93.0% to 94.9%.

Lexus ES, all years94.1%
Same-age average, all vehicles87.8%

In 2025, 94.1% of the 2,455 initial MOT tests on Lexus ES cars were passed with no repairs. The same-age average, for all vehicles first used in the same years, was 87.8%. That is 6.3 points above the same-age average.

Check a specific ES

Its own MOT history, free.

Lexus ES MOT pass rate by year

Year is when the car was first used. Older vehicles fail more often, so each year is compared with all vehicles first used that year.

Year	Chart	Testsmedian miles	Passed first time	Against all vehicles that year
2022age 3		1,13824,700	94.9%±1.5	+6.4 ptsall: 88.5%
2021age 4		1,31731,900	93.3%±1.5	+6.1 ptsall: 87.2%

Tests are initial MOT tests in 2025, not retests. Median miles is the middle odometer reading at the test: half had more, half had less. ± is the 95% margin of error in points (Wilson interval): a difference smaller than that could be chance. Years without a link have fewer than 10,000 tests, so they are listed here but don't have their own page.

When a car's mileage doesn't add up

Common ES problems at the MOT

Some years have too few failed tests in an area for it to be recorded, so a total across all years would come out too low. We don't list failure areas for this model.

MOT records show roadworthiness faults, not engine or gearbox problems.

Lexus ES questions

Which Lexus ES years have lower MOT pass rates?

Compared with all vehicles first used in the same year, no model year is clearly below average. Above average: 2021–2022. A pass rate is one signal: it also reflects mileage and upkeep, and doesn't record engine or gearbox faults.

Is the Lexus ES reliable?

MOT results show only part of the picture. In 2025, 94.1% of initial MOT tests on Lexus ES cars were passed with no repairs, against a same-age average of 87.8%. That is 6.3 points above average. An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. It doesn't measure breakdowns, engine or gearbox faults, or repair costs.

What mileage is normal for a 3-year-old Lexus ES?

At their 2025 MOT tests, Lexus ES cars first used in 2022, about 3 years old, had a median of 24,700 miles. Half had more and half had less.

How do I check a specific ES's MOT history?

Enter its registration in our free check. It lists that car's own MOT results, the faults and advisories recorded and the mileage at each test, and flags repeated advisories and mileage that goes down.

Check a car's MOT history for free

What MOT data can't tell you about any Lexus ES

Outstanding finance, write-offs, theft and plate changes aren't in MOT records. For a particular car, you need a history check.

Compare history checks What MOT history doesn't show

Other Lexus models

Points above (+) or below (−) the same-age average for all vehicles.

Cars ranked by MOT pass rate, by age

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests, 2025. For guidance only: these figures describe all Lexus ES cars tested, not the one you're looking at. How we count