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Lexus IS200 MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

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Pass rate, every year

77.9% Around average

20,777 tests across 13 model years, 2000–2012.

−3.1 pts vs the national average

MOT PASS RATES

How the Lexus IS200 really fares

77.9% of its MOTs pass — over 20,777 class-4 tests, 2023–2025

Pass rates

Every figure on this page comes from the DVSA's MOT test record.

The Lexus IS200 MOT pass rate is 77.9%, −3.1 percentage points below the UK average. That is 20,777 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2000 and 2012. This page lists the most common Lexus IS200 MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.

Lexus IS200 MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Lexus IS200 passed on its first attempt in 73.2%, and its overall record sits −3.1 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Lexus IS200 in the 2023–2025 data: 20,777 tests across 13 model years (2000–2012). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

MeasureThis model
Tests analysed20,777
Overall pass rate77.9%
Passed on first attempt73.2%
Average mileage at test118,638 mi
Model years covered2000–2012 (13 years)
Versus UK national average−3.1 pts below

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Lexus IS200 MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Lexus IS200, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Inspection section Share of failures Est. recorded instances
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 51% 3,529
Suspension 29% 1,988
Visibility 14% 971
Brakes 3% 204
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems 2% 130
Tyres 1% 47
Noise, emissions and leaks 0% 33
Steering 0% 22

Shares are over the Lexus IS200's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

Around 51% of the recorded Lexus IS200 failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (6.3%), "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (5.0%), "Position lamp not working" (3.6%) among the Lexus IS200's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.

Suspension

Around 29% of the recorded Lexus IS200 failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (3.1%), "Coil spring fractured or broken" (2.3%), "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (2.2%) among the Lexus IS200's suspension faults.

Visibility

Around 14% of the recorded Lexus IS200 failures fall in the Visibility section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (4.5%), "Wipers blade defective" (0.2%) among the Lexus IS200's visibility faults.

Top Recorded Lexus IS200 DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Lexus IS200, each with how many of the model's 20,777 tests it was noted on.

  • "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 1,308 Lexus IS200 tests, 6.3% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Headlamp lens slightly defective" (Minor) — noted on about 1,042 Lexus IS200 tests, 5.0% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 934 Lexus IS200 tests, 4.5% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 753 Lexus IS200 tests, 3.6% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (Major) — noted on about 652 Lexus IS200 tests, 3.1% of the model's MOT record.
  • "Coil spring fractured or broken" (Major) — noted on about 470 Lexus IS200 tests, 2.3% of the model's MOT record.

What IS200 fails on more than most

7 failure items are recorded at least 1.5 times the UK rate on this model.

Share of this model's own MOT tests that record each item, against the UK rate for the same item
Failure item This model UK × UK Typical fix
Sub-frame mounting corroded Suspension 3.6% 0.3% 12.0× £180–£450
Component mounting: prescribed area excessively corroded Suspension 8.2% 1.1% 7.5× £180–£450
Integral structure corroded Body, chassis, structure 4.4% 0.6% 7.3× £180–£450
Headlamp lens slightly defective Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 5.0% 0.9% 5.6× £5–£25
Headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment 5.5% 1.0% 5.5× £5–£25
Suspension component corroded Suspension 1.5% 0.3% 5.0× £180–£450
Service brake fluctuating Brakes 2.8% 1.0% 2.8× £60–£150

Rates are a share of this model's own tests (20,777 for the top row), so a big seller cannot outrank a rare one. The UK figure is the same item's share of every test in our data. Items IS200 records at or below the UK rate are not listed — this is where it is unusual, not a full inventory. All failure items · parts and costs

Best and Worst Lexus IS200 Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Lexus IS200 model year on record is 2010 (81.1% across 206 tests), and the weakest is 2007 (76.5%). The gap between them is 4.6 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Year Tests Pass rate First attempt Avg mileage Most common failure
2012 IS200 325 79.1% 73.9% 106,822 mi Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting drive
2011 IS200 1,409 80.4% 76.3% 115,177 mi Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting drive
2010 IS200 206 81.1% 77.3% 118,300 mi Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting drive
2009 IS200 57 78.9% 73.9% 117,211 mi Rear reflectors defective or damaged by up to 50% of
2008 IS200 69 78.3% 73.7% 118,286 mi Headlamp lens slightly defective
2007 IS200 102 76.5% 70.4% 139,155 mi Headlamp lens slightly defective
2006 IS200 79 77.2% 71.4% 140,992 mi Headlamp lens slightly defective
2005 IS200 2,648 77.4% 72.3% 110,071 mi Headlamp lens slightly defective
2004 IS200 4,748 77.7% 72.9% 108,066 mi Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case o
2003 IS200 3,984 78.0% 73.4% 112,347 mi Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case o
2002 IS200 3,219 77.2% 72.5% 115,426 mi Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case o
2001 IS200 2,517 77.6% 72.9% 118,341 mi Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case o
2000 IS200 1,414 77.7% 73.5% 122,100 mi Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case o

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Lexus IS200 Owners

These checks follow this Lexus IS200's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Lexus IS200.

  • the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”

    Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.

  • the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”

    Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.

  • corrosion — “component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength”

    Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Lexus IS200. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Where the Lexus IS200 is most common

Across every IS200 model year on record (2000–2012): 9,038 Lexus IS200 cars tested in a recordable postcode area, across 20,777 tests. Ipswich (IP) has the most, with 422 cars tested there. Cars are counted by the postcode area of the MOT station, so this is where they were tested, not necessarily where their owners live.

# Postcode area Cars Share of all Tests Pass rate
1 Ipswich (IP) 422 4.7% 1,341 60.5%
2 Birmingham (B) 292 3.2% 605 81.3%
3 London (E) 210 2.3% 396 89.6%
4 Manchester (M) 176 1.9% 384 80.5%
5 Hounslow (TW) 175 1.9% 309 86.4%
6 London (NW) 174 1.9% 422 82.5%
7 Middlesbrough (TS) 171 1.9% 237 90.7%
8 Guildford (GU) 166 1.8% 367 81.5%
9 Cambridge (CB) 160 1.8% 348 72.4%
10 Reading (RG) 160 1.8% 343 81.0%
11 Leicester (LE) 147 1.6% 364 81.3%
12 Sheffield (S) 146 1.6% 329 81.8%
13 Peterborough (PE) 146 1.6% 328 78.0%
14 Croydon (CR) 144 1.6% 306 86.9%
15 London (SE) 143 1.6% 302 85.1%
16 Bristol (BS) 141 1.6% 383 74.4%
17 Blackburn (BB) 141 1.6% 207 89.4%
18 London (N) 140 1.5% 310 84.8%
19 Nottingham (NG) 137 1.5% 355 74.6%
20 Wembley (HA) 127 1.4% 289 82.4%

The twenty areas with the most Lexus IS200 cars in the record, sorted by car count — sort the columns for a different question. Cars tested at a station whose postcode area could not be resolved are counted in the model's total but in no area, so the shares add up to slightly under 100% even across every area, and an area's cars are a subset of the model's. Pass rate is blank below 30 tests in an area, where a percentage is noise rather than a finding. How this model's pass rate varies by postcode →

Frequently Asked Questions: Lexus IS200 MOT & Reliability

What is the Lexus IS200 MOT pass rate?

77.9% of the 20,777 recorded Lexus IS200 MOT tests ended in a pass, −3.1 percentage points below the national average. 73.2% of those passed on the first attempt.

Which Lexus IS200 model years pass the MOT most often?

2010 is the strongest Lexus IS200 year on record at 81.1%, while 2007 is the weakest at 76.5%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.

What are the most common Lexus IS200 MOT failures?

The most recorded Lexus IS200 failures are "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" and "Headlamp lens slightly defective" — together around 11% of tests, mostly in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section.