Used car guide

2013 Lexus IS hybrid: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the hybrid Lexus IS first registered in 2013 (hybrid cars only): we looked at the 2,173 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,173MOTs of 2013 hybrid cars, done in 2023–2025
84%pass first time (all 2013 cars: 67%)
8,400typical miles a year
12×the usual rate for tyre pressure monitoring system

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2013 Lexus IS hybrid?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2013 Lexus IS hybrid than on all cars registered in 2013.

  • Tyre pressure monitoring system12× usual
    Lexus IS
    2.4% All 2013 cars
    0.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.4%, against 0.2% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges. Uneven wear can point to tracking or suspension problems.

Better than most

Brake pads: 4.4% here, against 10% of all 2013 cars. Shock absorbers: 1.5% here, against 5.1% of all 2013 cars.

Common 2013 Lexus IS hybrid MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2013 Lexus IS hybrid MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    31% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    16% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Lights and electrics
    8% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    6% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Suspension
    6% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2013 Lexus IS hybrid

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the tyre pressure monitoring system? (Flagged at MOT 12× as often on the 2013 Lexus IS hybrid as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Lexus IS?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Lexus IS compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2021105Tyres 29%
20201,695Tyres 26%
20193,493Tyres 28%
20184,320Tyres 25%
20174,631Tyres 25%
20165,903Tyres 27%
20158,347Tyres 27%
20149,212Tyres 27%
2012884Tyres 31%
2011405Tyres 25%
2010436Tyres 35%
2009506Brakes 29%
2008723Tyres 30%
2007739Tyres 34%
2006627Brakes 37%
2005170Tyres 28%
20043,890Suspension 37%
20033,292Suspension 39%
20022,659Suspension 39%
20012,096Suspension 44%
20001,188Suspension 44%
1999764Suspension 41%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Lexus IS cars first registered in 2013. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score