Nissan Sunny
From 1,530 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are 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 and significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake. The top issue, 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, caused 225 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.
| 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 | 225 |
| a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 67 |
| significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 47 |
| brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 45 |
| steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 41 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 36 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 34 |
| vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced | 34 |
| emissions levels exceed default limits | 31 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 30 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 61% of Sunny failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 26.8% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £223.
Nissan Sunny on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 70 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 4 newly registered, a net loss of 66. At this rate, roughly 31.2 years until none remain. Now at 0.8% of its peak (265,716 in 1995 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 335 | 1,659 | +2 | -9 | -7 |
| 2025 Q2 | 331 | 1,670 | +1 | -8 | -7 |
| 2025 Q1 | 323 | 1,685 | +1 | -19 | -18 |
| 2024 Q4 | 324 | 1,702 | +0 | -34 | -34 |
| 2024 Q3 | 345 | 1,715 | +0 | -18 | -18 |
| 2024 Q2 | 349 | 1,729 | +0 | -5 | -5 |
| 2024 Q1 | 340 | 1,743 | +0 | -35 | -35 |
| 2023 Q4 | 348 | 1,770 | +0 | -19 | -19 |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 67.9% | 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, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 1994 | 73.3% | 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 |
| 1993 | 69% | 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, significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake |
| 1992 | 73% | 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, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
3 earlier years
| 1990 | 76.4% | 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 |
| 1989 | 75.2% | a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1988 | 69.5% | 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, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
Typical mileage
Half of all Sunnys tested had between 65,804 and 97,065 miles on the clock.
At 76,475 median miles, the Sunny has 0.035 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 Sunny MOT pass rate?
The Nissan Sunny has a 73.3% MOT pass rate based on 1,530 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Nissan Sunny?
The most common MOT failure on the Nissan Sunny is 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, which caused 225 failures. Other common issues include a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
How many Nissan Sunnys are on UK roads?
There are 335 Nissan Sunnys currently licensed on UK roads, with 1,659 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Nissan Sunny at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Nissan Sunny is 76,475 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 65,804 and 97,065 miles.
Buying a used Sunny?
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 73.3% pass rate and an average repair bill of £223 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 61% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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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.