Nissan Cube MOT pass rate & common failures
The Nissan Cube appears in 16,526 MOT tests spanning model years 2000–2023, and 78.8% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (22.4% fail rate), the Cube comes out 1.2pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.0% of all tests — 4.8 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, ball joint and rear fog lamp — position lamp alone was recorded 971 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 29.5% once past 150k — 3.3× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 24.5% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Cube model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 104 | 70.2% | 29.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 388 | 77.1% | 22.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 566 | 77.0% | 23.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 524 | 81.9% | 18.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 559 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 1,082 | 79.4% | 20.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 1,236 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 951 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 6,014 | 75.8% | 24.2% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 887 | 80.5% | 19.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 438 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 309 | 85.8% | 14.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 301 | 76.7% | 23.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 447 | 75.2% | 24.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 556 | 76.4% | 23.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 452 | 78.8% | 21.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 424 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 569 | 82.1% | 17.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 421 | 83.1% | 16.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 274 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 2,306 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.2% | 1,520 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.2% | 1,024 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.5% | 737 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.5% | 587 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.1% | 514 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 2.8% | 469 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.2% | 193 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 971 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 763 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 756 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 624 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 601 |
| 6 | Wipers | 435 |
| 7 | Washers | 390 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 382 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 24.5% | 4,045 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.0% | 3,643 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.7% | 3,590 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.5% | 1,565 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.5% | 1,412 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.0% | 1,318 |
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 | 446 | 9.0% |
| 30-60k | 3,481 | 14.4% |
| 60-90k | 5,319 | 20.0% |
| 90-120k | 3,864 | 24.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,028 | 26.6% |
| 150k+ | 1,385 | 29.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,012 | 21.1% |
| 2022 | 3,212 | 20.4% |
| 2023 | 3,436 | 20.6% |
| 2024 | 3,496 | 22.4% |
| 2025 | 3,370 | 21.4% |
What to check before buying a Nissan Cube
- Lighting & signalling (14.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.2% 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.
- Brakes (6.2% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Nissan Cube?
78.8% of the 16,526 Nissan Cube MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 21.2% fail rate, across model years 2000–2023.
What does the Nissan Cube most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.0% of tests, then suspension (9.2%).
How much does mileage affect Cube MOT results?
Fail rates run at 9.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 29.5% for 150k+, a 20.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 16,526 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.