Lexus Is: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Lexus Is passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 13 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 13,163 individual Lexus Is tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate89.7%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+13 points
Tests analysed13,163
Average mileage at test77,096 miles
Average year of manufacture2016
Reliability rank747 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 89.7% first-time pass rate means roughly 10 in every 100 Lexus Is presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Lexus Is tested had covered 77,096 miles and was built around 2016.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Lexus Is sits 13 points above the national average, ranked 747 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Lexus Is rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Lexus Is: £550 at UK salvage auction, from 13 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Lexus Is

  1. A headlamp cleaning device inoperative in the case of LED or gas discharge systems (HID), 0.3% of tests (8.16x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative, 0.7% of tests (2.56x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.7% of tests (1.62x the national rate for this defect)
  4. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.5% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this defect)
  5. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.7% of tests
  6. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.9% of tests
  7. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 1% of tests
  8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.8% of tests
  9. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.6% of tests
  10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.6% of tests

From 13,159 DVSA-tracked Lexus Is tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 8.04% of these flagged Lexus Is defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Lexus Is

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Lexus Is before it actually fails on it.

  1. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.9% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this advisory)
  2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 28% of tests, also fails
  3. A tyre seriously damaged, 14.7% of tests, also fails
  4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 6.9% of tests
  5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.8% of tests, also fails
  6. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.8% of tests
  7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.2% of tests
  8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 1.1% of tests
  9. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 0.9% of tests
  10. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 0.8% of tests

From 13,159 DVSA-tracked Lexus Is tests, 2024.

Lexus Is pass rate by model year

From its 2013 to its 2020 model year, the Lexus Is's first-time pass rate has risen 9 points, from 84.4% to 93.4%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Lexus Is year:

Lexus Is by fuel type

The Lexus Is's two most-tested fuel types split by 3.1 points: hybrid passes first time 90.3% of the time (12,551 tests) against 87.2% for petrol (509 tests).

Other Lexus models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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Lexus Is MOT pass rate badge: 89.7%

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Lexus Is most common MOT failure: A headlamp cleaning device inoperative in the case of LED or gas discharge systems (HID) (0.3% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate