How reliable is the Lexus IS200 compared with other cars?

We do not publish a comparison for the Lexus IS200, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 66.5% across 5,176 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.

What do testers most often warn about on a Lexus IS200?

The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 24.6% of all Lexus IS200 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.

What mileage does a Lexus IS200 usually have at its MOT?

The average odometer reading recorded at test is 114,965 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.

Are most Lexus IS200 models petrol or diesel?

Of the Lexus IS200 cars tested, 89% are petrol, 11% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

Model reliability file

Lexus IS200 MOT pass rate & common failures

From 5,176 recorded MOT tests of the Lexus IS200, published by DVSA.

Data updated 29 July 2026

Quick answer

Across 5,176 MOT tests, 66.5% of Lexus IS200 tests ended in a pass. This figure is not adjusted for age or mileage, so it is not a reliability ranking: the Lexus IS200 fleet does not yet cover a wide enough spread of ages and distances to compare it fairly against other models. Its most commonly recorded failure is strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, which appears in 26.1% of failed tests. Cars of this model average 114,965 miles on the odometer when tested.

At a glance

Recorded pass rate

66.5%unadjusted, not comparable5,176 tests

We are not publishing a ranking for the IS200. The examples tested do not cover a wide enough spread of ages and mileages to compare it fairly, and an unadjusted pass rate mostly sorts models by how recently they were bought rather than how well they were built. The failure and advisory patterns below come from the same 5,176 tests and are worth reading on their own terms.

DVSA recorded wording

Most common failure items

Share of failed Lexus IS200 tests in which each item was recorded. One failed test often lists several items, so these do not sum to 100%.

1.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired26.1%
348 occurrencesSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained
2.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning17.2%
229 occurrencesLamp not working explained
3.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened12.5%
167 occurrencesRoad spring broken or fractured explained
4.The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements12.4%
166 occurrencesHeadlamp aim incorrect explained
5.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements10.3%
137 occurrencesTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
6.The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired9.0%
120 occurrencesSeat belt anchorage corroded or weakened explained
7.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.6%
101 occurrencesTyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
8.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm7.5%
100 occurrencesBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
9.Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced7.2%
96 occurrencesCorrosion in a structural area explained
10.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.1%
95 occurrencesSuspension arm bush worn explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

Share of all Lexus IS200 tests carrying each advisory. The denominator differs from the failure list above because an advisory can be issued on a car that passed.

1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements24.6%
1,275 testsTyre worn close to the legal limit explained
2.Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured15.5%
803 testsBrake disc worn, pitted or scored explained
3.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn12.2%
634 testsSuspension arm bush worn explained
4.A tyre seriously damaged11.8%
609 testsTyre damaged or deteriorated explained
5.Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users10.5%
543 tests
6.Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded9.5%
491 testsBrake pipe corroded explained
7.A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.8%
455 testsBrake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained
8.A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded8.5%
439 testsSuspension mounting corroded or insecure explained

What gets tested

The IS200 fleet

Average mileage recorded at test: 114,965
Fuel mix of tested cars: Petrol89.2%
Diesel10.7%

Trim names grouped into this model (6)

Recorded exactly as DVSA holds them. Trim-level names are rolled up so one model is not split across a dozen thin pages.

IS200 ADVANCE
IS200 S
IS200 S AUTO
IS200 SE
IS200 SE AUTO
IS200 SPORT

Check a specific Lexus IS200

A model average tells you the pattern. Its own MOT record tells you the car.

Compare within the range

Other Lexus models

Lexus NX — 89.3% adjusted
Lexus CT — 85.0% adjusted
Lexus RX — 88.2% adjusted
Lexus UX — 93.7% unadjusted
Lexus IS — 84.3% adjusted
Lexus IS250 — 73.7% unadjusted
All Lexus models

Common questions

How reliable is the Lexus IS200 compared with other cars?: We do not publish a comparison for the Lexus IS200, because the cars of this model that have been tested do not cover a wide enough range of ages and mileages. Its raw pass rate is 66.5% across 5,176 tests, but comparing a raw rate between models mostly ranks them by how new they are rather than how good they are. The failure and advisory patterns further down the page are still drawn from real tests and are worth reading.
What is the most common MOT failure on a Lexus IS200?: The item recorded most often is "The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired", which appears in 26.1% of failed Lexus IS200 tests. Because one failed test can list several items, these shares do not add up to 100%.
What do testers most often warn about on a Lexus IS200?: The most common advisory is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", noted on 24.6% of all Lexus IS200 tests. An advisory is not a failure: it flags something that will likely need attention before the next test.
What mileage does a Lexus IS200 usually have at its MOT?: The average odometer reading recorded at test is 114,965 miles. This is the mileage across all tested examples of every age, not an annual figure, so treat it as a description of the fleet rather than a target for one car.
Are most Lexus IS200 models petrol or diesel?: Of the Lexus IS200 cars tested, 89% are petrol, 11% are diesel. Fuel type affects which items tend to fail, particularly emissions and exhaust components.

How this was worked out

Method and limits

Figures come from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing dataset, published under the Open Government Licence. Only class 4 initial tests are counted: retests are excluded so a car appears once, and abandoned tests are excluded entirely. No adjusted rate is shown because this model's tested examples do not cover enough of the national age and mileage range for standardisation to mean anything.

An MOT measures whether a car met a legal standard on the day. It is not a breakdown record, a service history or a running-cost estimate, and a pass rate is a property of a fleet rather than a prediction about one car.