Nissan Leaf
From 71,457 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Leafs fare better: 2022 models pass at 94.7% vs 74.2% for 2011.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged and tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 3,018 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 3,018 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 1,576 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 1,271 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 880 |
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 628 |
| parking brake inoperative on one side | 422 |
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 412 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 405 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 402 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 370 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 68.6% of Leaf failures are safety items (worn brakes, tyre damage, steering play). The car still drives, but you shouldn't. Only 4.5% are the kind that would actually strand you. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £122.
The warranty question
A new Leaf passes its MOT 90% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 77.7%, a 12.3 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 69.8%. With an average repair bill of £122 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Leaf that's past its third birthday.
Nissan Leaf on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 1,151 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 952 newly registered, a net loss of 199.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 60,395 | 1,572 | +5 | -0 | +316 |
| 2025 Q2 | 60,210 | 1,441 | +1 | -201 | -200 |
| 2025 Q1 | 60,486 | 1,365 | +67 | -486 | -419 |
| 2024 Q4 | 60,958 | 1,312 | +879 | -464 | +415 |
| 2024 Q3 | 60,653 | 1,202 | +2,116 | -0 | +2,434 |
| 2024 Q2 | 58,299 | 1,122 | +1,339 | -0 | +1,404 |
| 2024 Q1 | 56,951 | 1,066 | +1,456 | -763 | +693 |
| 2023 Q4 | 56,326 | 998 | +1,176 | -413 | +763 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf Tekna | Battery Electric | 15,850 | 26% |
| Leaf N-Connecta | Battery Electric | 13,147 | 22% |
| Leaf Acenta | Battery Electric | 9,609 | 16% |
| Leaf E + Tekna | Battery Electric | 5,388 | 9% |
| Leaf Tekna 30Kwh | Battery Electric | 4,340 | 7% |
| Leaf E + N-Connecta | Battery Electric | 2,879 | 5% |
| Leaf Acenta 30Kwh | Battery Electric | 2,349 | 4% |
| Leaf | Battery Electric | 1,160 | 2% |
| Leaf Acenta 24Kwh | Battery Electric | 955 | 2% |
| Leaf 2.Zero | Battery Electric | 853 | 1% |
| Leaf Shiro | Battery Electric | 726 | 1% |
| Leaf E + N-Tec | Battery Electric | 616 | 1% |
| Leaf Tekna 24Kwh | Battery Electric | 485 | <1% |
| Leaf 10 | Battery Electric | 363 | <1% |
| Leaf Black Edition | Battery Electric | 356 | <1% |
| Leaf Visia | Battery Electric | 327 | <1% |
| Leaf E + 3.Zero | Battery Electric | 247 | <1% |
| Leaf Acenta Flex | Battery Electric | 228 | <1% |
| Leaf Tekna Flex | Battery Electric | 165 | <1% |
| Leaf Visia + | Battery Electric | 106 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 94.7% | a tyre seriously damaged, wiper blade defective |
| 2021 | 92.3% | a tyre seriously damaged, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2020 | 90% | a tyre seriously damaged, wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen |
| 2019 | 88.3% | a tyre seriously damaged, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
8 earlier years
| 2018 | 85.8% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2017 | 81.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2016 | 77.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2015 | 75.4% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2014 | 72.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2013 | 69.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2012 | 73.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
| 2011 | 74.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play |
Typical mileage
Half of all Leafs tested had between 16,932 and 68,917 miles on the clock. Relatively low mileage overall. Many are still fairly young.
At 31,721 median miles, the Leaf has 0.049 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 Leaf MOT pass rate?
The Nissan Leaf has a 84.3% MOT pass rate based on 71,457 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Nissan Leaf?
The most common MOT failure on the Nissan Leaf is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 3,018 failures. Other common issues include a tyre seriously damaged.
How many Nissan Leafs are on UK roads?
There are 60,395 Nissan Leafs currently licensed on UK roads, with 1,572 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Nissan Leaf at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Nissan Leaf is 31,721 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 16,932 and 68,917 miles.
Buying a used Leaf?
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 84.3% pass rate and an average repair bill of £122 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.