Used car guide

2018 Lexus RC hybrid: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the hybrid Lexus RC first registered in 2018 (hybrid cars only): we looked at the 1,114 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,114MOTs of 2018 hybrid cars, done in 2023–2025
90%pass first time (all 2018 cars: 83%)
6,600typical miles a year
2.3×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2018 Lexus RC hybrid?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2018 Lexus RC hybrid than on all cars registered in 2018.

  • Shock absorbers2.3× usual
    Lexus RC
    5.3% All 2018 cars
    2.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.3%, against 0.4% of all 2018 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

Better than most

Brake pads: 4.3% here, against 10.9% of all 2018 cars. Brake discs: 3.9% here, against 9.8% of all 2018 cars.

Common 2018 Lexus RC hybrid MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2018 Lexus RC hybrid MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    26% 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
    8% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    2% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2018 Lexus RC 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 shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 2.3× as often on the 2018 Lexus RC 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 RC?

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 RC compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2023–Too new for MOT data
2021–Too few tests
2020730Tyres 27%
20191,184Tyres 29%
20171,283Tyres 30%
20161,847Tyres 29%
2015551Tyres 20%

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 RC cars first registered in 2018. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score