17.6%
Fluid leak
The vehicle is leaking a fluid — oil, coolant, fuel or hydraulic. A slight seep is common on older cars; a continuous drip is both a road hazard and a sign of something failing.
MOT wording: Oil leak, but not excessive
NissanUsed-car reliability
How reliable is a used Nissan?
At 7 years old, the average Nissan fails its MOT more often than the average UK car.
MOT fail rate · 7-year-old cars
Nissan19.0%
UK average16.6%
Fails more often than the average 7-year-old car (about 1 in 6 MOTs, 16.6%)
Where to start
The lowest and highest fail rates in the Nissan range
The Nissan models whose MOT tests at 7 years old most and least often ended in a fail.
Lowest fail rates
- 1
Nissan Note13.8%fail rate - 2Nissan Serena14.0%fail rate
- 3
Nissan Leaf17.4%fail rate
Highest fail rates
- 1
Nissan Elgrand29.7%fail rate - 2
Nissan Micra24.7%fail rate - 3
Nissan Navara23.8%fail rate
What actually goes wrong
What breaks on Nissan cars
The most common MOT faults across the Nissan range, in plain English. Models with more MOT tests count for more. The percentage is the share of MOT tests on Nissan cars that recorded that defect.
17.1%
Tyre condition
A tyre is worn, cut, damaged or otherwise not fit for the road. Tyres are the only thing connecting the car to the road, so this is always worth taking seriously.
MOT wording: Tyre worn close to the legal limit or worn on the edge
15.4%
Suspension joint, pin or bush
A suspension ball joint, pin, or rubber bush is worn or has excessive play. These are the pivot points and flexible mountings that let the suspension move — wear causes knocking sounds and vague steering.
MOT wording: Suspension arm pin or bush worn, but not moving too much
15.1%
Wheel bearing
A wheel bearing is worn or damaged. Wheel bearings let the wheels spin smoothly — when worn, they make a humming or grinding noise and can cause the wheel to wobble.
MOT wording: Wheel bearing has slight play
Across all Nissan models; models with more MOT tests count for more.
The whole range
Every Nissan that ranks, in plain English
For each model, one number: the share of its MOT tests at 7 years old that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. Lower is better. The UK average (about 1 in 6 MOTs, 16.6%) is shown for reference. Only models with enough MOT data at 7 years old are ranked. The rest sit just below, unranked.
11 models
Nissan GT-R
The lowest 7-year fail rate of any Nissan here.
1.3%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan Note
Among the lower fail rates in the Nissan range at 7 years old.
13.8%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan Serena
Among the lower fail rates in the Nissan range at 7 years old.
14.0%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan Leaf
Among the lower fail rates in the Nissan range at 7 years old.
17.4%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan Juke
Among the lower fail rates in the Nissan range at 7 years old.
17.5%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan X-Trail
Among the lower fail rates in the Nissan range at 7 years old.
17.9%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan Qashqai
Among the lower fail rates in the Nissan range at 7 years old.
18.1%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan Pulsar
Among the lower fail rates in the Nissan range at 7 years old.
18.7%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan Navara
Above the Nissan average, and at or above the UK average.
23.8%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan Micra
Above the Nissan average, and at or above the UK average.
24.7%fail rate at 7 years old
Nissan Elgrand
Above the Nissan average, and at or above the UK average.
29.7%fail rate at 7 years old
Fail rates are the share of MOT tests on 7-year-old cars ending in a fail, retests included (DVSA MOT results, 2025). UK average across all makes at the same age: 16.6%. How we count fail rates
Not directly comparable with the figures at 7 years old
Shown unranked. These models don’t have enough MOT data at 7 years old yet. They’re either too new (few cars old enough) or too old (few still on the road). Each is shown at the age with the most tests, so the percentages aren’t directly comparable to the list above.
Too new to rankNissan Ariya
8.6%fail rate at 3 years old · 1,003 MOT tests
Too old to rankNissan Skyline
10.7%fail rate at 25+ years old · 1,007 MOT tests
Too old to rankNissan 200SX
16.0%fail rate at 25+ years old · 831 MOT tests
Too old to rankNissan 350Z
23.3%fail rate at 20 years old · 1,435 MOT tests
Too old to rankNissan Patrol
24.3%fail rate at 25+ years old · 371 MOT tests
Too old to rankNissan Cube
27.6%fail rate at 14 years old · 769 MOT tests
Too old to rankNissan Figaro
28.0%fail rate at 25+ years old · 1,212 MOT tests
Too old to rankNissan Pixo
28.3%fail rate at 15 years old · 5,341 MOT tests
Too old to rank
Nissan Murano
29.2%fail rate at 16 years old · 212 MOT tests
Too old to rankNissan Primera
31.0%fail rate at 25+ years old · 707 MOT tests
Too old to rank
Nissan Terrano
31.6%fail rate at 21 years old · 377 MOT tests
Too old to rank
Nissan Almera
32.7%fail rate at 20 years old · 4,846 MOT tests
Too old to rankNissan Pathfinder
34.5%fail rate at 18 years old · 963 MOT tests
Looking at one in particular?
Averages tell you the odds across the range. Enter a number plate to see that car’s own MOT history, its risk rating, and what’s likely to need attention.