2010 Nissan Cube — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Nissan Cube passed 75.8% of its 6,014 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as all cars of a similar age (24.4% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.2%) and lighting & signalling (12.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, ball joint and pins and bushes — position lamp alone was recorded 501 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 30.9% once past 150k — 3.2× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 28.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 23.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.2% | 795 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.7% | 761 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.3% | 439 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.2% | 311 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.1% | 248 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.6% | 216 |
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 | 501 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 500 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 379 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 196 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 185 |
| 6 | Wipers | 178 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 28.0% | 1,682 |
| 2 | Suspension | 27.5% | 1,652 |
| 3 | Tyres | 24.5% | 1,475 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.9% | 595 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.3% | 559 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.9% | 473 |
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 | 143 | 9.8% |
| 30-60k | 1,326 | 19.1% |
| 60-90k | 2,272 | 23.9% |
| 90-120k | 1,503 | 27.7% |
| 120-150k | 565 | 29.0% |
| 150k+ | 204 | 30.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,183 | 23.0% |
| 2022 | 1,203 | 23.1% |
| 2023 | 1,228 | 24.3% |
| 2024 | 1,227 | 25.8% |
| 2025 | 1,173 | 24.6% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Cube
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 13.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (13.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (12.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.3% 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
How many 2010 Nissan Cubes pass their MOT?
75.8% of the 6,014 2010 Nissan Cube MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Nissan Cube?
Suspension, recorded in 13.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.7%).
Does the 2010 Cube get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.8% in the 0-30k band to 30.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,014 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.