Large SUV · 1996–2021 cars

Toyota Land Cruiser reliability

The Toyota Land Cruiser fails 28.6% of first MOT tests, 25% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage, based on 62,511 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2024.

Better than averageReliability score 73/100#18 of 30 large suvs

Checking a Toyota Land Cruiser before you buy?

first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%): 28.6%; first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
fails than cars of the same age and mileage: 25% fewer; fails than cars of the same age and mileage
MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024: 62,511; MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
typical miles a year, from MOT readings: 9,500; typical miles a year, from MOT readings

MOT fail rate by age

How the Toyota Land Cruiser ages

Each point is the share of Toyota Land Cruisers of that age that failed their MOT first time, against all cars of the same age.

Toyota Land CruiserAll cars

Toyota Land Cruiser first-time MOT fail rate by age
Age at MOT (years)	Toyota Land Cruiser	All cars
3	12.9%	12.3%
4	12.1%	14.1%
5	12.4%	16.4%
6	12.8%	19.1%
7	14.5%	22.1%
8	15.2%	25.5%
9	13%	28.8%
10	15.7%	31.8%
11	19.4%	34.6%
12	18.9%	37.3%
13	25.9%	39.5%
14	29.3%	41.1%
15	34.2%	42.3%
16	34.7%	42.9%
17	35%	43.4%
18	37.1%	43.5%
19	35.5%	43.4%
20	36.6%	42.8%
21	36%	41.4%
22	34.6%	40.6%
23	35.5%	38.9%
24	34%	37.1%
25	36%	35.8%

By year

The best and worst Toyota Land Cruiser years

2014 cars come out best and 1997 cars worst, once age and mileage are taken into account.

Toyota Land Cruiser MOT results by year of first registration
First registered	Tests	Fail rate	Against same-age cars	Typical mileage
2021	239	10.9%	14% fewer fails	28,798
2020	835	11.9%	15% fewer fails	34,826
2019 Land Cruiser	1,806	11.8%	20% fewer fails	39,047
2018 Land Cruiser	2,368	12.1%	25% fewer fails	43,150
2017 Land Cruiser	1,550	13.9%	26% fewer fails	51,970
2016 Land Cruiser	2,167	13.7%	38% fewer fails	61,315
2015 Land Cruiser	2,500	14.6%	42% fewer fails	69,494
2014 Land Cruiser	2,806	13%	55% fewer fails	81,990
2013 Land Cruiser	1,595	15.5%	51% fewer fails	87,399
2012 Land Cruiser	1,326	18.1%	47% fewer fails	90,678
2011 Land Cruiser	1,364	18.9%	50% fewer fails	105,082
2010 Land Cruiser	1,525	22.8%	43% fewer fails	115,831
2009 Land Cruiser	1,262	30%	28% fewer fails	115,126
2008 Land Cruiser	2,202	30.2%	31% fewer fails	128,960
2007 Land Cruiser	3,365	33.8%	24% fewer fails	138,963
2006 Land Cruiser	4,203	36%	20% fewer fails	139,695
2005 Land Cruiser	5,976	34.9%	23% fewer fails	142,371
2004 Land Cruiser	6,099	37.7%	18% fewer fails	151,459
2003 Land Cruiser	4,668	35.2%	23% fewer fails	154,370
2002 Land Cruiser	2,784	35.8%	20% fewer fails	161,395
2001 Land Cruiser	2,500	36.3%	19% fewer fails	167,768
2000 Land Cruiser	2,285	36.2%	17% fewer fails	162,718
1999 Land Cruiser	2,966	34.7%	18% fewer fails	169,435
1998 Land Cruiser	2,738	35.1%	15% fewer fails	171,384
1997 Land Cruiser	1,174	36.1%	12% fewer fails	174,934
1996	208	35.6%	12% fewer fails	165,768

Common problems

What fails most on a Toyota Land Cruiser

Failures by area, against cars of the same age and mileage.

Fail rate by area

Lights and electrics12.6%31% below avg
Brakes10.5%12% below avg
Suspension10.3%30% below avg
Body, chassis and structure8%0% below avg
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors4.1%35% below avg
Exhaust, emissions and leaks2.7%53% below avg
Tyres2.3%66% below avg
Seat belts and airbags2.2%17% below avg
Steering2.2%46% below avg

Average for cars of the same age and mileage

Top MOT failures

1
Position lamp not working 3.36% of tests
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
2
CV joint boot split or insecure 2.13% of tests
A split CV boot lets dirt in and grease out, so the joint wears and may need full replacement.
3
Wiper blade not clearing windscreen 2.13% of tests
Wipers that do not clear the windscreen reduce visibility in rain, which is a safety risk, so replace them.
4
Brake pads worn below 1.5mm 1.95% of tests
Pads worn below 1.5mm lose stopping power and can damage discs, so replacement is needed before the car is driven.
5
Exhaust has major gas leak 1.81% of tests
A major exhaust leak can let poisonous gas into the car and is illegal, so it must be repaired before driving.
6
Rigid brake pipe excessively corroded 1.71% of tests
Badly corroded brake pipes can leak or fail, which can cause a loss of braking, so repair is urgent.
7
Stop lamp not working 1.65% of tests
A failed stop lamp means drivers behind cannot see when you brake, a safety risk that must be fixed.
8
Suspension mounting area seriously corroded 1.55% of tests
Corrosion near suspension mountings can seriously weaken the body structure, so an expert inspection is needed.

Most common advisories

Not a fail yet, but worth pricing in: these show up on a Toyota Land Cruiser's MOT certificate most often.

Brake pipes corroded and greasy9.85%
Brake pads wearing thin7.42%
Tyre worn close to legal limit7.1%
Coil spring showing some corrosion5.71%
Engine oil leak, not excessive4.89%
Chassis corroded but still rigid4.35%

Before you buy

What to check on a used Toyota Land Cruiser

1
Position lamp not working
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
2
CV joint boot split or insecure
A split CV boot lets dirt in and grease out, so the joint wears and may need full replacement.
3
Wiper blade not clearing windscreen
Wipers that do not clear the windscreen reduce visibility in rain, which is a safety risk, so replace them.
4
Brake pads worn below 1.5mm
Pads worn below 1.5mm lose stopping power and can damage discs, so replacement is needed before the car is driven.
5
Every MOT since new
Look for the faults above coming back year after year: it shows how the car has been looked after.
6
The mileage record
A typical Toyota Land Cruiser covers about 9,500 miles a year. A big gap or a drop between MOTs is a warning sign.
7
Finance, stolen and write-off
The records the MOT can't show. A Full Check (£9.99) covers all three before you hand over any money.

Fuel types tested

Diesel93.6%
Petrol5.9%
LPG0.5%
Other0%
Hybrid0%

Most common colours

Silver, Black, Grey, Blue, Green

Average engine size: 3.3 litres.

Compare

How the Toyota Land Cruiser compares with its rivals

Toyota Land Cruiser against similar models
Model	Fail rate	Against same-age cars
BMW X6	15.1%	44% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Mercedes-Benz GLE	10.6%	42% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Toyota Land Cruiser	28.6%	25% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Jeep Grand Cherokee	25.3%	23% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Volvo XC70	29.9%	21% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Land Rover Range Rover Velar	13.7%	13% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Mitsubishi Shogun	33.1%	11% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age

Every large suv ranked in the large suv reliability index, or all Toyota models.

Questions

Toyota Land Cruiser questions, answered

Is the Toyota Land Cruiser reliable?

On MOT results, the Toyota Land Cruiser is better than average: it fails 28.6% of first MOT tests, 25% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage. It ranks 18 of 30 large suv models in our index.

What fails most on a Toyota Land Cruiser MOT?

The most common MOT failures on the Toyota Land Cruiser are position lamp not working (3.36% of tests), cv joint boot split or insecure (2.13% of tests), wiper blade not clearing windscreen (2.13% of tests). By area, lights and electrics fails 12.6% of its tests.

Which Toyota Land Cruiser year is the most reliable?

Among years with 1,000+ tests, 2014 cars do best (55% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age) and 1997 cars do worst (12% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age).

How many miles does a Toyota Land Cruiser do a year?

A typical Toyota Land Cruiser covers about 9,500 miles a year, from the mileage recorded at its MOTs. Check the car you're looking at against that with a free mileage check.

How do I check a Toyota Land Cruiser before I buy it?

Enter its registration for a free check of its MOT history, mileage, ULEZ status and tax. Before you pay, a Full Check (£9.99) shows outstanding finance, stolen and write-off records.

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results, 2022 to 2024, class 4 vehicles aged 3 to 25, normal tests only. How we compare like with like: our methodology.

Found a Toyota Land Cruiser? Check it free.

MOT history, mileage record, ULEZ, tax and recalls on any UK car, in seconds. No sign-up, no card.