Nissan Note
From 217,276 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Notes fare better: 2017 models pass at 86.1% vs 61.8% for 2006.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements and a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened. The top issue, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, caused 20,712 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 | 20,712 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 7,805 |
| a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened | 6,794 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 6,558 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 5,104 |
| stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 4,951 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 4,288 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 3,552 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 3,174 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 2,489 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 46.9% of failures are serious: 36.5% are safety issues (brakes, steering, tyre damage) and 10.4% could actually leave you stranded. That's close to the 44.4% average across all models. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £101.
Fuel type matters
Hybrid versions pass at 97% while Diesel versions pass at 69.2%, a 28 percentage point gap.
Nissan Note on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 5,867 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 66 newly registered, a net loss of 5,801. At this rate, roughly 24.8 years until none remain. Now at 84.6% of its peak (169,784 in 2017 Q1).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 138,900 | 4,687 | +31 | -1,681 | -1,650 |
| 2025 Q2 | 140,683 | 4,554 | +22 | -1,432 | -1,410 |
| 2025 Q1 | 142,251 | 4,396 | +11 | -1,611 | -1,600 |
| 2024 Q4 | 144,134 | 4,113 | +2 | -1,143 | -1,141 |
| 2024 Q3 | 145,599 | 3,789 | +14 | -1,204 | -1,190 |
| 2024 Q2 | 147,015 | 3,563 | +26 | -1,311 | -1,285 |
| 2024 Q1 | 148,420 | 3,443 | +11 | -1,376 | -1,365 |
| 2023 Q4 | 149,998 | 3,230 | +10 | -789 | -779 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Note Acenta | Petrol | 19,687 | 16% |
| Note Acenta Premium | Petrol | 14,225 | 12% |
| Note N-Tec | Petrol | 12,183 | 10% |
| Note Tekna Auto | Petrol | 9,481 | 8% |
| Note N-Tec+ | Petrol | 7,918 | 6% |
| Note Acenta Auto | Petrol | 5,634 | 5% |
| Note Tekna Dig-S Cvt | Petrol | 5,327 | 4% |
| Note Tekna Dci | Diesel | 5,223 | 4% |
| Note Se | Petrol | 5,194 | 4% |
| Note N-Tec+ Auto | Petrol | 4,872 | 4% |
| Note N-Tec Auto | Petrol | 4,671 | 4% |
| Note Visia | Diesel | 4,567 | 4% |
| Note Acenta Premium Dig-S Cvt | Petrol | 4,235 | 3% |
| Note Se Auto | Petrol | 3,728 | 3% |
| Note Acenta Premium Dci | Diesel | 3,359 | 3% |
| Note N-Tec Dci | Diesel | 3,297 | 3% |
| Note Tekna Dig-S | Petrol | 2,756 | 2% |
| Note N-Tec+ Dci | Diesel | 2,562 | 2% |
| Note Tekna | Hybrid Electric (Petrol) | 1,898 | 2% |
| Note Sve | Petrol | 1,717 | 1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 86.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2016 | 85.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2015 | 82.7% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements |
| 2014 | 78.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning |
8 earlier years
| 2013 | 73.6% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 70.1% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2011 | 67.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2010 | 66.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2009 | 66% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2008 | 63.9% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2007 | 63.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 2006 | 61.8% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
Typical mileage
Half of all Notes tested had between 61,830 and 115,969 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 88,986 median miles, the Note has 0.033 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Nissan models
| Nissan Qashqai | 76.1% |
| Nissan Juke | 75.3% |
| Nissan Micra | 71.2% |
| Nissan Navara | 77% |
| Nissan X-Trail | 77.4% |
Common questions
What is the Nissan Note MOT pass rate?
The Nissan Note has a 70.9% MOT pass rate based on 217,276 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Nissan Note?
The most common MOT failure on the Nissan Note is a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, which caused 20,712 failures. Other common issues include the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements.
How many Nissan Notes are on UK roads?
There are 138,900 Nissan Notes currently licensed on UK roads, with 4,687 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Nissan Note at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Nissan Note is 88,986 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 61,830 and 115,969 miles.
Buying a used Note?
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 70.9% pass rate and an average repair bill of £101 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
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.