Nissan Almera
From 23,973 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Almeras fare better: 2006 models pass at 65.6% vs 63.5% for 2001.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 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 and significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake. The top issue, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, caused 1,184 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 1,184 |
| 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 | 1,018 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 791 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 761 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 742 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 661 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 631 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 627 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 585 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 553 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 23.3% of Almera failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 20.5% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £105.
Nissan Almera on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 3,400 scrapped or exported in the past year, a net loss of 3,400. At this rate, roughly 5.9 years until none remain. Now at 9.2% of its peak (219,081 in 2006 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 10,214 | 9,903 | +0 | -674 | -674 |
| 2025 Q2 | 10,915 | 9,876 | +0 | -665 | -665 |
| 2025 Q1 | 11,601 | 9,855 | +0 | -942 | -942 |
| 2024 Q4 | 12,373 | 10,025 | +0 | -1,119 | -1,119 |
| 2024 Q3 | 13,139 | 10,378 | +0 | -907 | -907 |
| 2024 Q2 | 13,928 | 10,496 | +0 | -839 | -839 |
| 2024 Q1 | 14,797 | 10,466 | +0 | -904 | -904 |
| 2023 Q4 | 15,761 | 10,406 | +0 | -826 | -826 |
18 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almera Se | Petrol | 2,322 | 25% |
| Almera S | Petrol | 1,698 | 18% |
| Almera Tino Se | Diesel | 1,056 | 11% |
| Almera Se Auto | Petrol | 938 | 10% |
| Almera Sx | Gas | 773 | 8% |
| Almera Sve | Petrol | 489 | 5% |
| Almera S Auto | Petrol | 454 | 5% |
| Almera E Auto | Petrol | 223 | 2% |
| Almera Tino Se Auto | Petrol | 187 | 2% |
| Almera Tino S Auto | Petrol | 182 | 2% |
| Almera E | Petrol | 168 | 2% |
| Almera Twister | Petrol | 164 | 2% |
| Almera Sve Auto | Petrol | 160 | 2% |
| Almera Tino S | Gas | 156 | 2% |
| Almera Pulse | Petrol | 109 | 1% |
| Almera Activ | Petrol | 93 | 1% |
| Almera Sxe | Petrol | 58 | <1% |
| Almera Tino Sve Auto | Petrol | 58 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 65.6% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
| 2005 | 64.4% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2004 | 65.4% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
| 2003 | 64.7% | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated |
7 earlier years
| 2002 | 62.9% | 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, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2001 | 63.5% | 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, steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2000 | 66.6% | 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, exhaust system leaking or insecure |
| 1999 | 61.2% | 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, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1998 | 68.6% | 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, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1997 | 64.7% | 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, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1996 | 55.3% | 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, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
Typical mileage
Half of all Almeras tested had between 65,194 and 108,902 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 84,439 median miles, the Almera has 0.042 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Nissan models
| Nissan Qashqai | 76.1% |
| Nissan Juke | 75.3% |
| Nissan Micra | 71.2% |
| Nissan Note | 70.9% |
| Nissan Navara | 77% |
Common questions
What is the Nissan Almera MOT pass rate?
The Nissan Almera has a 64.6% MOT pass rate based on 23,973 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Nissan Almera?
The most common MOT failure on the Nissan Almera is the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, which caused 1,184 failures. Other common issues include 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.
How many Nissan Almeras are on UK roads?
There are 10,214 Nissan Almeras currently licensed on UK roads, with 9,903 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Nissan Almera at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Nissan Almera is 84,439 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 65,194 and 108,902 miles.
Buying a used Almera?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 64.6% pass rate and an average repair bill of £105 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.