2018 Nissan Cube — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 424 MOT tests, the 2018 Nissan Cube recorded an 82.8% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (10.5% fail rate), the 2018 Cube comes out 6.7pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.8% of tests against 6.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, position lamp and washers — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 29 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.4% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 25.8% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 21.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 19.4% in 2021 to 12.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 15.8% | 67 |
| 2 | Visibility | 6.1% | 26 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.4% | 23 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.8% | 16 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.5% | 15 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 8 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 29 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 26 |
| 3 | Washers | 15 |
| 4 | Wipers | 14 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 13 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 12 |
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 | 21.2% | 90 |
| 2 | Tyres | 18.9% | 80 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.9% | 80 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 12.0% | 51 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.3% | 31 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.7% | 24 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 73 | 16.4% |
| 60-90k | 111 | 14.4% |
| 90-120k | 109 | 17.4% |
| 120-150k | 79 | 21.5% |
| 150k+ | 31 | 25.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 103 | 19.4% |
| 2022 | 101 | 17.8% |
| 2023 | 95 | 14.7% |
| 2024 | 67 | 20.9% |
| 2025 | 58 | 12.1% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Cube
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 15.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (15.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (6.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Suspension (5.4% 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.
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 2018 Nissan Cubes pass their MOT?
82.8% of the 424 2018 Nissan Cube MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Nissan Cube?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 15.8% of tests, followed by visibility (6.1%).
Does the 2018 Cube get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.4% in the 30-60k band to 25.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 424 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.