2016 Infiniti Q30 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Infiniti Q30 passed 87.8% of its 9,998 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 1.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.4%) and suspension (3.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, brake pads and coil spring — tread depth alone was recorded 267 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.3% once past 150k — 2.7× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 1.9pp more often than petrol ones (12.3% vs 10.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 8.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.4% | 440 |
| 2 | Suspension | 3.4% | 343 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 336 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.8% | 275 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.9% | 193 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 137 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 267 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 215 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 175 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 158 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 153 |
| 6 | Washers | 148 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 26.5% | 2,647 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.2% | 2,017 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.2% | 716 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.2% | 416 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 213 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 198 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 821 | 7.2% |
| 30-60k | 4,941 | 10.4% |
| 60-90k | 3,148 | 14.6% |
| 90-120k | 853 | 17.5% |
| 120-150k | 177 | 17.5% |
| 150k+ | 57 | 19.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 9,299 | 12.3% |
| Petrol | 699 | 10.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,953 | 8.9% |
| 2022 | 1,989 | 10.3% |
| 2023 | 1,999 | 12.4% |
| 2024 | 2,013 | 13.6% |
| 2025 | 2,044 | 15.8% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Q30
On a 2016 Q30, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 4.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (4.4% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Suspension (3.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (3.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2016 Infiniti Q30s pass their MOT?
87.8% of the 9,998 2016 Infiniti Q30 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Infiniti Q30?
Tyres, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by suspension (3.4%).
Does the 2016 Q30 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.2% in the 0-30k band to 19.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,998 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.