MOT performance
Volkswagen Touareg vs Lexus RX: MOT pass rates compared
In 2023–2024, 76.2% of 75,286 Volkswagen Touareg MOT tests and 80.9% of 73,304 Lexus RX tests passed first time — 4.7 points in favour of the Lexus RX. Once age, mileage and fuel are allowed for, the Lexus RX fails less often than the Volkswagen Touareg: 0.73× against 0.79× the national rate for comparable cars.
75,286 Volkswagen Touareg and 73,304 Lexus RX MOT tests, 2023–2024
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| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen Touareg: first-time pass rate | 76.2% | ±0.3 pts (95%), n = 75,286 |
| Lexus RX: first-time pass rate | 80.9% | ±0.3 pts (95%), n = 73,304 |
| Volkswagen Touareg: failures vs similar cars | -21% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Lexus RX: failures vs similar cars | -27% | same age, mileage and fuel = 1.00 |
| Volkswagen Touareg: dangerous defect | 5.7% | n = 75,286 |
| Lexus RX: dangerous defect | 5.3% | n = 73,304 |
| Average age at test | 9.4 vs 11.3 years | Volkswagen Touareg vs Lexus RX |
Why the raw pass rates can mislead
The Lexus RX was tested at an older average age (11.3 years against 9.4), and older cars fail more often whatever they are. That is why the table above also shows failures against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel: it compares the models, not their fleets.
Failure areas side by side
Share of MOT tests that failed on each area, and in brackets how that compares with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel (1.00 = national average). The clearest difference is seat belts and airbags, where the Volkswagen Touareg fails 2.9 times as often on an adjusted basis.
| Area | Volkswagen Touareg | Lexus RX |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 4.7% (-40%) | 5.0% (-11%) |
| Steering | 0.5% (-76%) | 0.3% (-72%) |
| Suspension | 7.9% (-21%) | 5.5% (-19%) |
| Tyres | 5.4% (-24%) | 4.2% (-27%) |
| Road wheels | 0.2% (-54%) | 0.3% (-19%) |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 9.3% (-20%) | 7.4% (-39%) |
| Body, chassis and structure | 1.2% (-69%) | 1.4% (-52%) |
| Driver's view of the road | 2.5% (-47%) | 2.8% (-38%) |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.4% (-20%) | 1.3% (-49%) |
| Seat belts and airbags | 1.7% (+31%) | 0.3% (-55%) |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.4% (+2%) | 0.5% (+17%) |
| Speedometer and driving controls | 0.0% (-21%) | 0.0% (-12%) |
Pass rate at the same age
Comparing cars of the same age removes most of the fleet-age effect from the raw rates.
| Age at test | Volkswagen Touareg | Lexus RX |
|---|---|---|
| 3-4 years | 88.5% (n = 9,379) | 94.8% (n = 7,653) |
| 5-6 years | 79.5% (n = 10,134) | 93.5% (n = 7,453) |
| 7-8 years | 77.7% (n = 15,221) | 90.4% (n = 6,742) |
| 9-10 years | 78.1% (n = 11,237) | 86.4% (n = 6,712) |
| 11-12 years | 74.4% (n = 6,816) | 78.8% (n = 7,451) |
| 13-15 years | 65.4% (n = 7,839) | 74.9% (n = 14,894) |
| 16+ years | 63.7% (n = 11,735) | 68.6% (n = 19,596) |
Most common failure item
- Volkswagen Touareg · coil spring: fractured or broken (6.01% of tests)
- Lexus RX · position lamp: not working (3.60% of tests)
MOT results reflect how cars are maintained as well as how they are built, so a gap between two models is a difference in test performance, not proof that one is more reliable. For one car, its own MOT history says more than any average.
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About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.